Caley Thistle chairman says club will ‘pull together’ after battery farm setback

Inverness chief Ross Morrison reacts to crunch meeting where Highland councillors voted against the vital multi-million pound project.

By Paul Chalk

March 15 2024, 3:26 pm

ICT chairman Ross Morrison.

Caley Thistle chairman Ross Morrison has issued a rallying cry following Highland Council’s rejection of its plans for a battery storage scheme.

On Thursday, the controversial battery storage farm was refused permission after Highland councillors reversed a decision to give the scheme the go-ahead.

The outcome is a major setback for the Championship club, which was set to receive millions of pounds from the £40m project.

The proposal would have seen containers storing up to 50MW of electricity sited at Fairways Business Park in Inverness.

Initially put forward by Inverness Caledonian Thistle (ICT) shirt sponsors Intelligent Land Investments (ILI), the project is wholly owned by the football club.

Councillors voted 30-23 to turn down the plans, but ICT will now appeal to the Scottish Government.

The club also has an ongoing legal challenge as well as Freedom of Information questions lodged about the process.

Supporters, worried by the potential impact of the crunch outcome financially, have voiced concerns about the future of the club.

The facility was planned near Fairways Business Park.

‘Thank you’ message from chairman

Morrison issued the following statement after taking stock of what they say was a “bizarre decision”.

He said: “The club notes with bewilderment and disappointment, yesterday’s refusal of the ICT battery farm planning application.

“Without going into everything that happened, it was an especially mystifying decision given that no new evidence was provided which was worthy of overturning the previous progressive and lawful vote in February to grant us planning. We can however confirm that we are appealing the decision to the Scottish Government.

“While this bizarre decision to overturn our previous successful planning application was a set-back to our robust and long-term business plan, we will consolidate and pull together as a board and a club as we have done many times in our history both on and on the field.

“We want to thank the hundreds of Caley Thistle fans and the businesses and organisations who have been entirely supportive in our quest to improve the club’s financial model and the city’s energy security.

“On behalf of the board and as we move into our historic 30th year and a crucial end-of-season period, we need to show that by sticking together and sticking to our values, by backing Duncan (Ferguson) and the team, nothing can stop us getting to where we want to be this season and in our next 30 years.”