Bird charity RSPB is “carefully scrutinising” the Scottish government’s consent decision for the 4100MW Berwick Bank offshore wind farm, branding it a “dark day for seabirds” over the ornithological impact it claims the site will have.
RSPB Scotland director Anne McCall said the organisation is “considering what further steps we will take”.
It has long been opposed to the 307-turbine project off east Scotland.
“This is a very dark day for seabirds. It is a terrible decision on a really bad development,” she said.
“Berwick Bank would be catastrophic for Scotland’s globally important seabirds which are already facing alarming declines.”
McCall added its impacts are so damaging they will make the relative impacts of other wind farms significantly higher.
“This one windfarm is going to make it really challenging to accelerate renewable projects across Scottish seas,” she said.
“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.”