‘Wholly unacceptable’, RSPB censures Galileo plan for windfarm
Community group Keep Kinlochbervie Special has welcomed comments from RSPB criticising the plan for a major windfarm at Kinlochbervie.
In its response to initial documents submitted by Galileo, the wildlife charity bluntly criticises the energy firm for failing to mention the high voltage overhead lines which would be required, to connect the development to the electricity network.
RSPB states “To ignore such an element, which is known to be required for the operation of the wind farm, is wholly unacceptable and would simply push the issue onto the transmission operator’s application in the future…. This issue cannot continue to be ignored….”
The conservation charity urges Galileo to assess the impact of the full development on nationally rare birdlife – not just the turbines but the battery compound and other major buildings proposed, the new roads required and the pylon lines.
RSPB raises concern about the impact of the proposed development, and the overhead lines, on exceptionally rare birds such as Golden Eagle, White-Tailed Eagle, Merlin, Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Curlew, Greenshank, Snipe, Golden Plover, Dunlin and Ptarmigan.
RSPB warns that the considerable risk to birds includes ‘disturbance, displacement, loss of suitable habitat and collision risk’.
Don O’Driscoll, speaking on behalf of Keep Kinlochbervie Special said: “We welcome RSPB’s intervention and share their concerns about the impact on protected species. It is disgraceful that Galileo is only telling us half the story. We know – and RSPB agrees – that this is a haven for wildlife that you simply don’t see in other parts of the country. Walking on the moor listening to birdsong and seeing Golden Eagles soaring above is an incredible experience. There is no way to bring these birds back once they have been displaced. They would simply be lost to us forever.”
The site at Kinlochbervie is described by RSPB as an important foraging ground for White-tailed and Golden Eagles, and for Peregrine, Kestrel and Buzzard. The potential impact on Golden Eagle is of particular concern as there are five Golden Eagle breeding territories within a 10-mile radius.
The importance of the location for breeding Greenshank is also noted by RSPB as a concern.
Steve Davies is a licensed bird ringer and conservationist who has been studying Greenshank at Kinlochbervie for 20 years. He comments: “This really is one of the most important sites for Greenshank in the UK. It has been studied continuously by ornithologists since the 1960s. It is a unique habitat. Greenshanks only breed in Scotland. If they lose this habitat there’s nowhere else for them to go.”
Local residents point out that other rare and protected wildlife such as Otter, Water Vole, Mountain Hare, Merlin, Cuckoo and Pipistrelle also rely on the undisturbed, high-quality habitat of the area for successful foraging, nesting and breeding.
RSPB also has records of Corncrake, Blackthroated Diver, Scottish Greylag Goose, Great Skua, Lapwing and Ring Ouzel in the area.
RSPB described the site as a ‘very sensitive location… on and surrounded by important wetland and peatland habitat with significant wildlife interest’. RSPB described as ‘disappointing’ that the bird surveys conducted to date have not included winter roost surveys for eagles and urged Galileo to consider the ‘cumulative impact’ of the development and other major developments under consideration for the north west Highland region.
The Kinlochbervie windfarm proposed by Galileo is 30 miles from a suitable grid connection point, potentially at Loch Shin, Dalchork or Connagill. A high-voltage overhead line would be required to connect the windfarm to an appropriate substation in order for any electricity generated to be used.
If the development were to go ahead, Galileo would still be paid if the electricity is not used, under the terms of the ‘Contracts for Difference’ arrangement between the UK government and energy firms. This applies to all renewable energy generators, including multinational firms and those headquartered overseas, such as Galileo.
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