Plea to block wind farm over thousands of forecast bird deaths

Conservation groups are urging ministers to reject plans for an offshore wind farm which the developer predicts will kill tens of thousands of seabirds.

Five charities, led by RSPB Scotland, have written to the first minister to argue that approving Berwick Bank in the Firth of Forth would undermine efforts to protect nature.

SSE says it has already amended its designs to minimise any potential risks to Scottish seabirds.

The Scottish government, which is considering whether to approve the project, says it cannot comment on live applications.

The proposed development – which would be one of the largest in the world – consists of up to 307 turbines across an area four times the size of Edinburgh.

It is positioned about 23 miles from the important seabird colonies of the St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve and the Bass Rock.

Experts say the area is an important feeding and foraging ground for seabirds.

SSE's own environmental impact assessment says it expects more than 31,000 bird collisions over the projected 35-year lifespan of the development.

The largest number expected to be killed are kittiwakes followed by gannets and herring gulls.

The letter to First Minister John Swinney calling for the application to be rejected has been signed by RSPB Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the National Trust for Scotland, the Marine Conservation Society and the Scottish Seabird Centre.

They say the potential impacts of Berwick Bank are becoming so severe that they "overshadow and are undermining" the progress of other, lower impact windfarm applications.

RSPB Scotland director Anne McCall says the area is one of the best places on earth for seabirds, which have been in significant decline.

"I've never seen a development with so much potential damage," she added:

The conservation groups argue that technology has advanced significantly since Berwick Bank was conceived and that floating wind farms, further offshore, would be a better alternative.

The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) says populations on the steep cliffs at its St Abbs reserve will be directly affected by the bird strikes on the Berwick Bank turbines.

Its "seabird cities" are home to guillemots, kittiwakes and razorbills.

Diarmid Hearns from the NTS says Berwick Bank could prevent further developments from going ahead.

This is because account would have to be taken of the cumulative impact of windfarm expansion when other applications are considered.

He said refusal would be "good for the industry and good for the environment" because it could unlock future developments further out to sea.

SSE Renewables submitted a planning application to the Scottish government in late 2022 and is still awaiting a decision.

'Work constructively'

It says it has conducted one of the largest known ornithology surveys in the world as part of the application process and that it disagrees strongly with the points put forward in the letter.

The company insists that seabird densities are "not exceptional" in the area and that the impact on seabirds would be among the lowest of any wind farm site. Both those claims are disputed by RSPB Scotland.

Project director Alex Meredith said: "Berwick Bank has now been in planning for almost 30 months.

"Whilst we will always continue to work constructively with stakeholders, we must move forward urgently with action and delivery for the climate and our iconic Scottish seabirds."

The wind farm would generate 4.1 gigawatts of electricity which is enough to power about six million homes.

The electricity would be brought to shore at Dunbar in East Lothian and Blyth in Northumberland.

The Scottish government said it would not be appropriate to comment on a live consenting application.