School leaders at Robert Gordon’s College are considering legal action after the Scottish Government ruled in favour of controversial plans to build a battery storage site on nearby land.

Councillors had earlier rejected the proposals by Flexion Energy UK Storage to build the unit on land at Newton of Pitfodels near Cults, close to the school’s Countesswells playing fields.

However, the decision was challenged and later overturned by Scottish Government ministers at appeal.

The school said it is now ‘left with no option’ but to consider further legal action amid fears that any fire at the site could put youngsters at risk of ‘potentially-toxic vapour, fumes, or smoke’ from the proposed 48 lithium-ion batteries which would be housed within 12 shipping container-sized cabinets on the site.

North East Tory MSP, Liam Kerr, has also raised concerns with Energy Secretary, Gillian Martin, over the appeal decision, describing it as a ‘failure of democracy’.

In his letter, he highlighted the school’s intention to challenge the decision legally.

He added: “Should a fire break out at the proposed battery storage site, it would be catastrophic for the use of their playing fields, which are regarded as one of the best in the area.

“They are used by a wide range of local sports clubs and other schools, as well as RGU for university sports fixtures.”

The MSP also raised concerns over the potential of a fire breaking out and the environmental impact this could have.

Battery storage facilities store and release energy generated from renewable sources, such as wind turbines and solar farms, when needed.

Developers argue this new development would help Scotland reach its net zero carbon targets.

Stephen Hall, a planning reporter appointed by Scottish ministers to consider the appeal, said the report considers a range of sites within 1.5km of the Craigiebuckler substation, many of which are also in the green belt, and identified the appeal site as the ‘least constrained and most suitable’.

He added: “I am satisfied that there would be no significant long-term impacts on the environmental quality of the green belt.”

A Flexion Energy spokesperson said the technology used will help facilitate the country’s ‘national renewable energy ambitions’.

The spokesperson added: “Energy storage enables the integration of more renewables on the electricity network and has been identified as a crucial element required to support energy security and decarbonisation objectives in Scotland and more widely in the UK.

“Flexion Energy is delighted to be contributing positively to the UK`s net zero objectives.”

Under the law, the outcome of the appeal may be challenged at the Court of Session within six weeks of the date of the decision – which in this case is 9 May.