Exclusive:How £270m wind turbine hub plans and 600 jobs would be lost under Harland & Wolff collapse

Union bosses have raised fears a £270 million vision to transform two Scottish industrial sites into wind turbine manufacturing hubs could be lost, putting a promise of 600 green jobs at risk.

A total of £16 billion of investment, promised for Scotland through manufacturing turbines for 20 ScotWind projects, could be lost overseas due to a lack of facilities and infrastructure to build and put together the equipment.

Scotland does not have a single facility capable of manufacturing wind turbine blades and there are only two across the UK.

READ MORE: SNP 'squandering' £16bn of ScotWind investment amid wind turbine manufacturing fears

Now there are concerns that a strategy to revamp two shipyards to allow turbines to be constructed and repaired could be thrown into doubt and axed as the company behind the sites grapples with its financial future.

Harland & Wolff, which owns two fabrication sites at Methil in Fife and Arnish in the Western Isles, has had an offer to the UK government for financial support rejected. The company had applied for a £200 million loan guarantee from the government as part of efforts to restructure its finances.

The operations of the company are now under review amid speculation its two Scottish shipyards, as well as operations in Belfast and Devon, could be split up - with the renewables plans at risk of being scrapped.

But union bosses have pointed to ambitious £270m plans to transform the two Scottish sites into facilities to construct and repair wind turbines and called for the strategy to remain in place to create hundreds of new clean jobs.

Under the plans, the company said the sites at Methil and Arnish would be turned into “state-of-the-art centres for the fabrication and assembly of turbines and other structures for the industry”.

The plans for the Fife facility would allow the site to build fixed and floating offshore wind foundations and enable the company to “take on large-scale renewable projects”, creating 400 new jobs.

At Arnish, near Stornoway, plans have been draw up for a new quay and floating dry dock, which the company said would provide “ample space for the assembly and storage of renewable energy components”, creating a minimum of 200 jobs including 30 apprenticeships and graduate roles.

But union bosses have warned the opportunity to revamp the sites and take advantage of the renewables boom could be lost.

Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland secretary, said: “These plans build on the skills and experience of the workforce and the strategic location of these yards. They are exactly the type of proposals needed if Scotland is to exploit the economic and industrial opportunities of renewable energy.

“We have been told of these opportunities for years now, but ambitious plans have not delivered promised jobs.”

Ms Gilmour added: “The blueprint for Methil and Arnish must not be another grand vision that is allowed to gather dust in a bottom drawer. Big plans and press releases do not build a single turbine or create a single job.

“Ministers on both sides of the border should be fully engaged in exploring these plans with the industry and help ensure the necessary public investment is in place.”

A Harland & Wolff spokeswoman said: “The company has appointed Rothchild & Co as its financial adviser to assess strategic options for the group and assist the board in deciding a route forward that will maximise value for stakeholders and seek to preserve the company’s core operations at its delivery centres in Belfast, Appledore, Methil and Arnish.

“As soon as this has reported back, we will be in a position to provide more detail and confirm plans.”