Power plant threat to birds’ beach home

Two-thirds of the Portencross Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in North Ayrshire would be concreted over, despite it being home to a wide range of birds, including curlew, dunlin, redshank and eider duck.

North Ayrshire Council believes developing the area for power stations, a container port and renewable energy-related manufacturing could provide much-needed jobs.

But RSPB Scotland argues that the SSSI – a legal status granted to provide protection against development – must be saved and has called on the council to scrap its plans.

The proposals for industrial use are outlined in the council’s Local Development Plan (LDP). Councillors are to meet tomorrow to finalise the document, which sets out priorities for development of the area.

Portencross Coast SSSI covers 480 hectares between Portencross and Fairlie – equivalent to about 580 football pitches. Of this, 323 hectares are earmarked for industrial development in the LDP.

Aedan Smith, head of planning and development at RSPB Scotland, said: “This is a nationally important wildlife site, valuable for a range of bird species, and an SSSI.

“If the council decides to go down this unfortunate route and build on the site, it must ensure that a habitat of at least equivalent value for wildlife is provided nearby to compensate for any loss.”

The SSSI contains about three miles of sandflats at Hunterston Sands, Southannan Sands and Fairlie Sands. It was officially designated in 1971 under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 and described as having “the best mudflats for wildfowl and waders in the Clyde”.

Acres of rare dwarf eelgrass considered to be of UK importance are found in the intertidal habitats. Eelgrass shelters many organisms and acts as a nursery for fish and shellfish.

An assessment of the environmental impact of the development plan confirms the loss of the SSSI would be “significant,” adding: “It is not possible to avoid this.”

Instead, it proposes either recreating the sandflat habitat elsewhere, outside North Ayrshire, or “compensating” for the loss. It points out, however, that creating the habitat elsewhere “could affect bird-related tourism in North Ayrshire”.

Instead, the council has decided it would be best to pay compensation to make up for the loss, in the form of a “biodiversity fund” that could be spent on other local priorities.

Among controversial proposals for the site is a coal-fired power station at Hunterston, which the LDP stipulates must be able to capture 100 per cent of carbon emissions.

A planning application from Peel Energy for a coal-fired power station on 30 hectares of the SSSI was turned down by North Ayrshire Council in November. The application is now with the Scottish Government, which has the final say.

Zoe Clelland, conservation officer at RSPB Scotland, said: “North Ayrshire Council made a fantastic decision, voting to object to the proposals by Peel Energy for a new coal power station at Hunterston.

“It would be incredibly disappointing if its own development plan promoted the loss of an even larger area of wildlife habitat than Peel wants to destroy. It could even boost Peel’s unpopular plans by supporting the principle of a coal plant on the site.”

After the plan is finalised by the council it will have to be signed off by Scottish ministers. A council spokesman said: “The sensitivities of these discussions and the need for further assessment are acknowledged in the plan.

“All development proposals shall be constructed and operated to take account of the environmental sensitivities of the Portencross SSSI. An environmental assessment, including a requirement for appropriate provision for the restoration and after-use of the site, will be required for projects which are causing significant environmental impact.”

He added that the RSPB had submitted detailed representations and that an independent reporter would be asked to consider unresolved issues.

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