The Scottish Seabird Centre has formally registered an objection with Marine Scotland to SSE Renewables' proposal to build one of the largest offshore wind developments in the world in the outer Firth of Forth.

Berwick Bank, which would be located about 38 kilometres off the East Lothian coast, could generate up to 4.1GW of power, making it the largest offshore windfarm planning application to be submitted in the UK.

However, the North Berwick-based Scottish Seabird Centre has raised grave concerns on how this development would affect marine wildlife and seabird populations.

It stressed that breeding seabird populations, such as the world's largest gannet colony on the Bass Rock, were of international significance, attract thousands of visitors to East Lothian each year.

The Seabird Centre highlighted that the proposal overlaps with the Outer Firth of Forth and St Andrews Bay Complex Special Protection Area and that seabirds from several island and cliff Special Protection Areas along the East Coast of Scotland and Northern England could be affected.

Susan Davies, chief executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said: “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues that needs addressed today and marine renewables are an essential strand of the plan to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for energy and to achieve net-zero.

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"However, we are also facing a nature crisis and we must ensure that green energy is secured in ways which do not contribute further to nature loss.

“Rather than find a less damaging location, for example further offshore, for their development, SSE Renewables have forged ahead with their proposals.

"This flies in the face of all their environmental data pointing to this being one of the most damaging places to site an offshore windfarm in Scotland – both directly and in combination with other developments already consented.

"The evidence presented by the developer predicts that the development will lead to significant annual adult mortality losses of black-legged kittiwakes, common guillemots, razorbills and Atlantic puffin.”

Stuart Housden, chair of the Scottish Seabird Centre, added: “The leasing process for the seabed for marine renewable developments needs to be overhauled and be better informed by a strategic assessment of the environmental capacity that exists. It makes no sense to offer leases in areas that are clearly environmentally constrained at a time when nature is in crisis.”

The National Trust for Scotland, RSPB Scotland and members of the Scottish Environment Link Marine Task Force have also recently lodged objections with Marine Scotland to the plans.

The charity says it stands ready to continue working with marine renewable developers to try to ensure that developments do not cause environmental harm and genuinely meet the twin challenges presented by the climate and nature crises.

A spokesperson for SSE Renewables, said: “We are aware of the Scottish Seabird Centre’s comments and views on our proposals, and whilst we understandably disagree with their position on Berwick Bank Wind Farm, we are grateful for the lengthy and meaningful engagement we have had to date.

“The offshore wind industry is absolutely critical to ensuring we prevent the worst possible impacts of climate change, which is arguably the biggest single danger to Scottish seabirds.

"Projects at the scale and ambition of Berwick Bank, can ensure Scotland is a world leader in offshore wind, but we must avoid delay and we must seek to deliver for both climate and nature. This should not be a trade off.

“Where our models forecast potential effects on seabird populations, we have proposed strategic measures to allow those colonies to thrive. Specifically, we have shown that if we can secure the closure of sandeel fisheries in UK waters as part of the Berwick Bank approval (a move advocated for recently by Sir David Attenborough) not only can we deliver Berwick Bank, but we could also see the population of various species of Scottish seabirds increase by many thousands. It is a huge potential win-win for the climate and nature.

“We have advocated for these closures and are ready to go with implementing and monitoring these plans, but we need Scottish Government support to make this happen.

“Berwick Bank Wind Farm provides a unique opportunity to make a significant positive impact to both the nature and climate crises we are all facing. We have been working on this site for over a decade and the result is a world leading project.

"We have submitted our planning application and whilst we will always continue to work constructively with stakeholders we want to now move forward urgently with action and delivery for the climate and our iconic Scottish seabirds.”