Turbine group calls on RSPB to end fight

Businesses are piling pressure on bird charity RSPB Scotland over a legal attempt that delayed a windfarm plan in Fife.

The RSPB lost a challenge at the Supreme Court in London last week in their fight against the £2billion Neart na Gaoithe offshore windfarm.

The planned 450MW, 75-turbine development around 10 miles off the Fife coast has the support of the NnG (Neart na Gaoithe) Coalition, a collection of organisations who teamed up to appeal against the RSPB’s court action.

The coalition published an open letter yesterday asking RSPB Scotland to “work constructively

“We call on you to start working in Scotland’s best interest”

with the project” now the legal challenge has been quashed.

The letter pointed to the three-year delay, due to ongoing litigation, detailing the potential job and economic benefits that may have been missed as a consequence.

Addressed “Dear RSPB Scotland”, it stated: “Having delayed the NnG offshore windfarm for three years, we call on you to start working in Scotland’s best interest.”

The letter continued: “Today we call on you, RSPB Scotland to work constructively with the project developers to take this important infrastructure project forward in the earliest posssible timeframe.

“This is vital for Scotland’s environment and our economy. Now is the time to work together to make this happen.”

The project only recently announced that it had formed a coalition group to combat increasing pressure from outside forces to halt the project.

The RSPB continues to claim the NnG is a serious threat to sea birds.