The Scottish Seabird Centre has formally registered an objection with Marine Scotland to SSE Renewables’ proposal to build one of the largest offshore wind developments in the world in the outer Firth of Forth.
Berwick Bank, which would be located about 38 kilometres off the East Lothian coast, could generate up to 4.1GW of power, making it the largest offshore windfarm planning application to be submitted in the UK.
However, the North Berwick-based Scottish Seabird Centre has raised grave concerns on how this development would affect marine wildlife and seabird populations.
It stressed that breeding seabird populations, such as the world’s largest gannet colony on the Bass Rock, were of international significance, attract thousands of visitors to East Lothian each year.
The Seabird Centre highlighted that the proposal overlaps with the Outer Firth of Forth and St Andrews Bay Complex Special Protection Area and that seabirds from several island and cliff Special Protection Areas along the East Coast of Scotland and Northern England could be affected.
Susan Davies, chief executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said: “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues that needs addressed today and marine renewables are an essential strand of the plan to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for energy and to achieve net-zero.
“However, we are also facing a nature crisis and we must ensure that green energy is secured in ways which do not contribute further to nature loss.
“Rather than find a less damaging location, for example further offshore, for their development, SSE Renewables have forged ahead with their proposals.
“This flies in the face of all their environmental data pointing to this being one of the most damaging places to site an offshore windfarm in Scotland – both directly and in combination with other developments already consented.
“The evidence presented by the developer predicts that the development will lead to significant annual adult mortality losses of black-legged kittiwakes, common guillemots, razorbills and Atlantic puffin.”
Stuart Housden, chair of the Scottish Seabird Centre, added: “The leasing process for the seabed for marine renewable developments needs to be overhauled and be better informed by a strategic assessment of the environmental capacity that exists. It makes no sense to offer leases in areas that are clearly environmentally constrained at a time when nature is in crisis.”
The National Trust for Scotland, RSPB Scotland and members of the Scottish Environment Link Marine Task Force have also recently lodged objections with Marine Scotland to the plans.
The charity says it stands ready to continue working with marine renewable developers to try to ensure that developments do not cause environmental harm and genuinely meet the twin challenges presented by the climate and nature crises.
SSE Renewables has been approached for comment. https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/23449025.north-berwick-seabird-centre-objects-berwick-bank-windfarm/
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