In response to new environmental information regarding the impacts to wildlife of the proposed coal-fired power station at Hunterston, the Scottish Wildlife Trust is today maintaining its objection to the planning application. The development would be located in the Portencross Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and, if consented, nearly half of the nationally important wildlife site would be damaged.

This would sound the death knell for rare eelgrass beds and waders such as oystercatcher, greenshank and ringed plover who rely on the intertidal mudflats for feeding. But the damage from the coal-fired power station does not stop there – acid deposition from burning coal could affect European protected sites close by and greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuel would be harmful to Scotland’s wildlife and ultimately its people.

Dr. Maggie Keegan, the Trust’s National Planning Co-ordinator, said: “The new environmental data confirms our worst fears about the extent of damage to the Portencross Coast SSSI. The sea temperature rise alone will decimate the local lugworm population within the SSSI as lugworms cannot breed in warm water. 

“This means that many key bird species will face a double whammy of loss of habitat and loss of food. Worse still, there is nowhere else for the birds to go in Ayrshire. Providing a tiny amount of new habitat by way of compensation really does not address the issue. In light of the wildlife damage that will result, both locally and nationally, from this coal-fired power station, we do hope the Scottish Government rejects this proposal.”

Click here to send your objection to the Scottish Government.