Charity’s bid to sink river plans over wildlife threat
RSPB want plug pulled on water taxis and harbour at Forth
A wildlife charity has objected to City Deal plans to commercially exploit the River Forth in Stirling.
Ambitious proposals to put river taxis on the stretch of water and create a revamped harbour area in Forthside have been included in the City Development Framework.
However , the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has raised concerns about plans to create a tidal barrage in the Forth, which Stirling Council has said will allow water levels and water quality to be controlled.
The society has objected - due to concerns about the impact the barrage will have on wildlife - through the Local Development Plan (LDP) process.
The LDP sets out what proposed development is desired in the Stirling area over the next decade, and allocates land for over 5,000 houses, 77 hectares for employment development and several sites for retail use.
The plan was set out last summer, and has now proceeded to the formal examination stage - where it is being considered by the Scottish Government.
The RSPB is one party which has raised an objection to part of the LDP, stating a tidal barrage could pose a serious risk to wildlife.
An RSPB Scotland spokesperson said: “The Stirling City Deal is an ambitious collection of projects which on the whole will deliver many benefits for the city from an economic, community and tourism perspective. Whilst RSPB Scotland is mostly in favour of the City Deal and fully supports its aims we have serious concerns about one project in the plan; the proposal to build a tidal barrage across the River Forth.
“Such a barrage would be extremely damaging to the river environment, including some of the wildlife and habitats protected by national and international law in and around the river.”
Stirling Council said that revamping the area around the Forth is a major part of its development plans, but no final decision had been made yet on a tidal barrage.
“One option being considered relates to the tidal aspects of the Rivers Forth flowing through Stirling,” a council spokeswoman said. “An advisory group will investigate a range of innovative ideas around tidal and flood management, giving absolute respect to the environmental impacts, as well as recognising the environmental designations and sensitivities of the whole river. A tidal barrage may be considered as one of many options around developing the river, however this will be carried out under the close scrutiny of the advisory group, utilising the knowledge and skills of key representative bodies such as SEPA, SNH and the RSPB, as well as working closely with local communities to bring a key asset natural back to the heart of city life in Stirling.”
Other parties who have made representations on the plan include Graham’s Dairy, who hope to build at Airthrey Kerse, Persimmon Homes and the University of Stirling.
The Proposed Local Development Plan (LDP) was consulted on last summer, and was approved in December by Stirling Council.
It has now proceeded to the formal examination stage, with documentation passed to the Scottish Government’s Department for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA).
A Scottish Government Reporter has been appointed to examine all unresolved representations, and his examination is set to take six to nine months, after which the authority will implement any proposed alterations and take the LDP forward.