Public Inquiry Call Over 'Ignored' Windfarm Advice

Wildlife experts say public inquiries should be held when the Scottish government appears to snub advice against windfarms.

There's a warning major developments off the coast of Fife, like Seagreen Alpha and Bravo, Inchcape Alpha and Neart na Gaoithe could kill thousands of seabirds.

The assessment determined that each year the proposed wind farms are predicted to kill 1169 Gannets, 424 Kittiwakes and 1251 Puffins around Fthe Isle of May and St Abbs National Nature Reserves, the Bass Rock and other islands in the Firth of Forth.

Environmentalists say it also shows that over 25 years this rate of attrition will reduce the breeding populations of these three species in the nearby Forth Islands by 21%, 24% and 25% respectively.

The Scottish government maintains that “strict conditions” imposed on developers will mean any impacts on seabirds and wildlife will be closely monitored and mitigated.

Terry Levinthal, Director of Conservation and Projects, The National Trust for Scotland:

“We at the National Trust for Scotland are not opposed to renewable energy developments by any means – but we think they should be located appropriately and be proportionate in scale. 

“We count on the Scottish Government to have in place a fair and transparent process that ensures proposed developments are properly scrutinised and that important ecological factors are considered fully.  Unfortunately, the evidence from the Forth and Tay wind energy projects suggests that even the expert opinions of the Government’s own  advisors can be brushed aside if they are inconvenient.

“For our faith in the Scottish Government’s decision-making to be restored, it must commit to taking heed of SNH and other statutory consultees’ advice and reviewing their submitted evidence in the public realm.”