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Nature charities call for proposed mega offshore windfarm to be refused
Rejection of Berwick Bank would unlock a host of offshore wind projects and protect seabirds.
- RSPB Scotland, Marine Conservation Society, National Trust for Scotland, Scottish Wildlife Trust and Scottish Seabird Centre unite to call for climate and nature-friendly offshore wind
- Berwick Bank would cover an area four times the size of greater Edinburgh in the Firth of Forth, threatening internationally important seabird populations
- Berwick Bank is predicted to kill tens of thousands of seabirds with tens of thousands more losing their vital feeding areas
- New applications show offshore wind can help tackle climate change without killing devastating numbers of seabirds - but Berwick Bank is blocking their progress due to the sheer scale of its impacts.
NATURE charities are calling for action to unlock offshore wind and protect one of Scotland’s wildlife wonders.
As Puffins and Gannets return to Scotland's coasts and islands to raise their chicks, Scottish Ministers are being urged to refuse a major development which threatens the future of seabirds and offshore wind in Scotland.
Mega windfarm Berwick Bank is planned for an area four times the size of the entire City of Edinburgh Council area, just 40Km off the East Lothian coast, close to iconic seabird sites like the Bass Rock and Isle of May.
With turbines the height of six Scott Monuments stacked on top of each other, Berwick Bank is estimated to be so devastating for seabirds it is blocking opportunities for new, less damaging offshore wind projects.
Now RSPB Scotland has joined forces with the Marine Conservation Society, National Trust for Scotland, Scottish Seabird Centre and Scottish Wildlife Trust to urge Scottish Ministers to refuse Berwick Bank to protect wildlife and progress less damaging offshore projects.
New offshore wind developments are currently being held back due to their combined impacts with Berwick Bank on Scotland’s globally important seabird populations.
An example of this is Ossian, a similar sized windfarm to Berwick Bank which would generate almost the same amount of electricity. This project, using the latest floating turbine technology, is proposed further offshore, away from key seabird sites.
Ossian alone would reduce the Kittiwake population at St Abb’s Head by up to 13%. This is a significant number, and work would be needed to help populations bounce back.
However, Ossian and Berwick Bank together are expected to reduce the same Kittiwake population by up to a shocking 81%. This would be so disastrous it could fast track Kittiwakes towards extinction.
If Berwick Bank goes ahead, it is almost impossible to imagine that Ossian would be allowed to proceed due to these devastating impacts.
But if Berwick Bank were removed from the picture, it would open a host of opportunities for new, less harmful offshore wind projects across Scotland.
It comes as seabirds already face serious challenges, from Avian Flu to unsustainable fishing practices. Around 70% of seabird species are in decline in Scotland, including much-loved Puffins which face national and global extinction.
Anne McCall, director of RSPB Scotland, said: “Offshore wind has a key role in tackling the climate and nature emergency. We fully support well-sited wind farms which work with nature. But they are being held back by a major spanner in the works.
“Berwick Bank would be catastrophic for Scotland’s globally important seabirds. Its impacts are so damaging it is blocking plans for new, less-harmful windfarms.
“As the First Minister said earlier this year: nature should be at the heart of climate action. Our message to the Scottish Government is clear. Refuse Berwick Bank to unlock the full potential of offshore wind while protecting our outstanding wildlife.”
Diarmid Hearns, interim director of conservation and policy at The National Trust for Scotland, said: “The National Trust for Scotland cares for St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve, which is home to approximately 45,000 seabirds during breeding season, including protected Kittiwake, Guillemot, Razorbill and Shag species.
“Climate change is one of the biggest threats to seabirds and offshore wind development is important to meet Scotland's climate ambitions, therefore we are fully supportive of it. However, installations must be located with sensitivity to the very habitats we're trying to protect from climate impacts- the proposed site for Berwick Bank is likely to cause high levels of ecological damage and severely impact the seabird colonies at St Abb's Head.
“We urge Ministers to reject the proposal for Berwick Bank and instead focus on advancing proposals in more appropriate locations.”
Harry Huyton, CEO at Scottish Seabird Centre, said: “The Firth of Forth is home to globally important seabird populations, including the world’s largest colony of Gannets on Bass Rock.
“Most of Scotland's seabird species are already in decline, and Berwick Bank threatens to undermine attempts to restore populations by killing and displacing tens of thousands of seabirds. It is simply the wrong place for an offshore wind farm.
“We want to see a strong and vibrant offshore wind industry in Scotland, which avoids developing sensitive sites for wildlife and actively contributes to nature conservation. Ministers must urgently act for nature and the future of offshore wind by refusing consent to Berwick Bank.”
Jo Pike, chief executive at Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: "Renewable energy developments will be a key component in tackling the climate emergency, but this must be done in a way that also protects nature.
“Scotland's seas are facing the twin nature and climate crises and developments must therefore be strategically placed to avoid damaging already vulnerable species and habitats.
“Refusing consent to Berwick Bank in favour of developments in less sensitive areas would allow for progress towards Net Zero commitments at pace, whilst mitigating the impacts to nature.”
Background
- Scotland is home to internationally important seabird populations, including 60% of Great Skuas and almost half (48%) of the world’s Northern Gannets, the biggest colony on Earth being found at the Bass Rock
- 70% of seabird species in Scotland are in decline (Seabirds Count, 2023)
- The assessment above was made before the significant impact of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as Avian Flu. An updated report found HPAI had reversed the few positive or stable trends in Scotland’s seabirds (HPAI Surveys Report)
- In 2024, five more UK seabirds were added to the UK Red list of most conservation concern, meaning they are at risk of extinction or require urgent conservation action (BOCC). Scotland has more than 50% of the UK population of each of these five species.
- Berwick Bank is a proposal by SSE Renewables of more than 300 turbines covering 1,000 square kilometres off the East Lothian coast. Each turbine will be up to 355 metres high, to blade tip.
- Berwick Bank is estimated to kill 329 Gannets and 986 Kittiwakes a year through collision alone. It will further impact thousands of seabirds through displacement and barrier effects each year. This comprises: Guillemot (up to 3,021), Kittiwake (up to 416), Razorbill (up to 441), Gannet (up to 138), and Puffin (up to 136).
- Berwick Bank is part of a site first identified by the UK Crown Estate as being potentially suitable for offshore wind development over 15 years ago. It is anticipated to generate 4.1GW of energy but, since this site was first identified, numerous other projects have come forward. Most are much less damaging to seabirds. This includes many projects identified through the Scottish Government’s Scotwind offshore wind leasing
- Many of these Scotwind projects are currently are being compromised by the combined impacts from Berwick Bank but could collectively deliver up to f 30GW of energy capacity.
- Ossian is a floating windfarm. It is one of the Scotwind leasing round of projects, proposed further offshore in the North Sea which is expected to deliver 3.6GW of energy. Developers estimates include that it could kill up to 43 Gannets and 41 Kittiwakes through collision every year
Editor’s notes:
- For more information or to request an RSPB interview contact: Ross Hunter, Communications Officer, ross.hunter@rspb.org.uk, 07935 014 915
- For Scottish Seabird Centre interviews contact: Jess Thompson, Marketing and Communucations Manager, Scottish Seabird Centre, jesst@seabird.org, 01620890202