A coalition of Scottish nature charities has called on Scottish Ministers to reject SSE Renewables’ proposed 4GW Berwick Bank offshore wind project, warning that it could threaten the future of seabirds and undermine efforts to develop offshore wind in Scotland. The group includes RSPB Scotland, the Marine Conservation Society, the National Trust for Scotland, the Scottish Seabird Centre, and the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
The Berwick Bank project is planned for an area approximately four times the size of the City of Edinburgh Council, located 40 kilometers off the East Lothian coast, near critical seabird sites like the Bass Rock and the Isle of May. The charities argue that the development would have significant negative impacts on seabird populations, which are already in decline across Scotland.
“Berwick Bank would be catastrophic for Scotland’s globally important seabirds,” said Anne McCall, director of RSPB Scotland. “Its impacts are so damaging it is blocking plans for new, less-harmful windfarms.”
The charities have raised concerns that the project, which would be one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world, could hinder the development of smaller, more environmentally sensitive offshore wind farms. They point to Ossian, another proposed offshore wind project, which is similar in size but located further offshore to avoid key seabird habitats. However, even Ossian could reduce the Kittiwake population at St Abb’s Head by up to 13%.
“Together, Ossian and Berwick Bank are expected to reduce the Kittiwake population by up to 81%. This would be so disastrous it could fast track Kittiwakes towards extinction,” the charities said in a statement.
Around 70% of seabird species are in decline in Scotland, including puffins, which face national and global extinction. The coalition claims that removing Berwick Bank from the equation would open the door for new offshore wind projects in less ecologically sensitive areas.
“If Berwick Bank were removed from the picture, it would open a host of opportunities for new, less harmful offshore wind projects across Scotland,” the group added.
Diarmid Hearns, interim director of conservation and policy at the National Trust for Scotland, emphasized the need for careful siting of offshore wind projects. “Climate change is one of the biggest threats to seabirds, and offshore wind development is important to meet Scotland’s climate ambitions,” Hearns said. “However, installations must be located with sensitivity to the very habitats we’re trying to protect from climate impacts. We urge Ministers to reject the proposal for Berwick Bank and instead focus on advancing proposals in more appropriate locations.”
The Scottish Government has yet to make a final decision on the Berwick Bank project, but the coalition of nature charities has made it clear that protecting Scotland’s seabird populations should be a priority in any wind development plans.
