Football club refused permission for battery farm

Inverness Caledonian Thistle wants to build a battery storage farm to help generate income

Highland councillors have voted to refuse Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC permission to build a £40m energy storage project.

The Championship club was initially granted planning permission for the battery farm, but the local authority later decided to review the decision.

Councillors have now voted 30 to 23 against the project proposed for a site near Inverness' Fairways Business Park.

The club has previously said some of the income raised from the project would go towards its community outreach programme.

Under the club's plans, the battery farm would store excess energy generated by wind farms and release it back to the electricity grid at periods of high demand.

Concerns have been raised by some local residents over noise pollution and loss of green space.