Renewable energy company RES has submitted a planning application for its proposed Ballyross Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, marking a step forward in its efforts to expand energy storage capacity in Northern Ireland.
The site is located about two kilometres southwest of Gleno and 8.5 kilometres southwest of Larne, close to the Ballyvallagh substation. According to RES, the location was selected to maximise grid connection efficiency while minimising the need for additional infrastructure. The company said the project will also have limited visual impact due to existing terrain and mature planting.
Peter Deeney, development project manager at RES, said community input had played a key role in shaping the proposal. “We held two consultation events for Ballyross to present and seek views on the proposal prior to submitting our planning application,” Deeney said. “The feedback we got from local people really helped to shape the final design for the project, such as the preferred transport route during the construction phase and additional landscaping measures to further reduce potential views of the project from the closest residential properties.”
The planning application includes a landscaping plan featuring new native-species hedgerows and woodland planting designed to reduce visibility and enhance biodiversity. Wildflower seeding is also proposed to create habitats for pollinators and establish wildlife corridors across the site.
RES said the Ballyross BESS would help stabilise the electricity system, enable greater use of renewable power, and lower network upgrade costs.
A decision on the application is expected in the summer of 2026. If approved, construction is projected to take around 20 months, beginning after the project receives grid connection approval.
The Ballyross project forms part of RES’s wider portfolio of energy storage developments across the UK and Ireland, aimed at supporting the transition to a more flexible and resilient energy system.
