Berwick Bank approval a 'dark day for seabirds' warn nature groups
Consent for the construction and operation of the wind farm is still subject to the developer, SSE Renewables, producing a detailed sea bird compensation plan outlining how adverse impacts on seabirds will be compensated for, and nature charities have expressed their concerns about the project.
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Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland, said: 'This is a very dark day for seabirds. It is a terrible decision on a really bad development.
'Berwick Bank would be catastrophic for Scotland's globally important seabirds which are already facing alarming declines. In addition, its impacts are so damaging they will make the relative impacts of other windfarms significantly higher. This one windfarm is going to make it really challenging to accelerate renewable projects across Scottish seas. We are incredibly concerned that Scottish Government have granted consent for a project which could catapult some of Scotland's most-loved seabird species towards extinction.
'RSPB Scotland recognises climate change is one of the biggest threats to seabirds, but there needs to be seabirds left to save. We support nature-positive offshore wind, in the right locations with minimised impacts on wildlife and measures to restore and protect seabird populations. But this is predicted to be one of the most damaging windfarms for birds we are aware of anywhere on the planet.
'We will be carefully scrutinising the details of the consent documents over the coming hours and days and considering what further steps we will take.'
Harry Huyton, CEO of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said: 'The Scottish Government's decision to consent Berwick Bank today is devastating news for seabirds, with tens of thousands expected to be killed by the development.
"The Scottish Seabird Centre and nature charities across Scotland have repeatedly called on the Scottish Government to refuse consent for Berwick Bank and to instead back lower impact windfarms, and we are grateful to the thousands of supporters who have emailed the Cabinet Secretary in support of this campaign. It's deeply disappointing that these concerns - and the advice of the Government's own adviser, NatureScot, who also objected to the development - appear to have been ignored.
"While a consent has been issued today, it remains conditional on the developer, SSE, developing a robust plan to compensate for the impact of the development on seabirds. Given the sheer scale of impact, we are sceptical that such a plan could ever be developed.
"From one of the world's largest gannet colonies on Bass Rock to the kittiwake and razorbill colonies at St Abbs Head, Scotland is privileged to be home to internationally important populations of seabirds. We have a responsibility to protect these extraordinary species, yet most seabird species in Scotland are in decline and many have been hit hard in recent years by avian flu. Consenting Berwick Bank risks further fuelling declines, in direct contradiction to the Scottish Government's commitments to tackle the nature emergency.
"We will now look closely at this deeply concerning decision and consider next steps.'
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