Supply-chain firms unite to help offshore wind farm proceed

A group of about 30 Scottish supply-chain companies have come together in support of a £2 billion offshore wind farm ready to be built next year off the east coast of Scotland.

The organisations supportive of the Neart na Gaoithe (NNG) project have written an open letter to the Royal Soci- ety for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Scotland calling on it to abandon further court action aimed at delaying the project.

The firms say they are behind many of the 600 jobs the wind farm will create. It is expected to generate enough green energy to power all the homes in a city the size of Edinburgh.

In their view, the Scottish renewables supply chain “can ill afford further delays in the project and appeals to the membership organisation to accept the recent decision of the Scottish courts”, last month dismissing the RSPB’S request for permission to appeal approval of the project. It was originally consented by Scottish ministers in 2014.

Alan Duncan of Scotia Supply Chain, and a spokesperson for the NNG Offshore Wind Farmcoalition,saidthecollec- tive wishes RSPB Scotland “to recognise the serious social, economic and environmental consequences of ignoring the advice of the Inner House of Scotland’s Court of Session and continuing to appeal this decision… this is about real people, real jobs and real environmental benefit. Scotland cannot afford to put nationally significant infrastructure projects like NNG at risk”. 0 Alan Duncan speaks for NNG Offshore Wind Farm Coalition