By Peter Guthrie, Eyemouth member
It would be foolish to say we don’t need wind power. But wind farms need to be in the right place, where they don’t harm wildlife.
The planned Berwick Bank offshore wind farm sits close to protected seabird sites at St Abbs Head (a Special Protection Area) and the Bass Rock (a Site of Special Scientific Interest). The Bass Rock has the world’s largest colony of northern gannets, a species hit hard by bird flu in recent years, as were guillemots and kittiwakes at St Abbs Head. The black-legged kittiwake is already globally vulnerable.
Turbines kill birds through collisions, disrupt migration routes and change the seabed habitats where seabirds feed. For these reasons Scottish Borders Greens object to Berwick Bank. Wind farms have their place, but where they go matters.
Update: Scottish Ministers granted consent for Berwick Bank on 31 July 2025.
