More than 20,000 say no to Hunterston

Damaging North Ayrshire proposal receives record number of objections.

A Friends of the Earth Scotland, RSPB, WWF a.o. joint news release.

A proposed new coal fired power station on the Ayrshire coast has attracted more formal objections than any other development in the history of the Scottish planning system.

Over 20,000 people have now registered their opposition to the plans for the climate-wrecking electricity plant at Hunterston – an unprecedented figure according to the government’s energy consents unit. A large proportion of the objections come from people living in North Ayrshire.

The previous most unpopular application was the Beauly-Denny power upgrade to the electricity grid network. Attracting nearly as many was the Lewis Wind Farm application which ministers rightly rejected on the grounds of its damaging impact on the environment.

The level of opposition now gives ministers the opportunity to show they listen to the will of the Scottish people and to reject this damaging application.

It has also emerged that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have warned that the development could cause damage to thousands of sites across the UK that are designated for their outstanding natural heritage value.

The Scottish Government’s statutory conservation and environment advisors caution in their responses to the application that more than 6,500 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) throughout Britain could be harmed by deposition from the plant.

This news comes less than two weeks after the Court of Session in Edinburgh issued a ruling that Scottish Ministers did not act illegally in deciding that there was a national need for a new coal plant at Hunterston. It seems clear that the residents of North Ayrshire do not agree that Scotland needs this development.

Aedán Smith, Head of Planning and Development at RSPB Scotland, said: “I think these figures demonstrate the strength of public feeling against the building of a new Hunterston power station, and the level of local opposition is clear to see. We hope that the views of local people will be taken into account when North Ayrshire Council considers its position on the proposals over the next few weeks”.

Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland said: “The area has had enough uncertainty about energy development. The huge public opposition shows that this application should be turned down, especially as we don’t believe it will be built should it be given the go ahead. In order to make carbon capture on coal work, even ScottishPower would need over £1bn at Longannet, making it highly improbable Ayrshire Power will be able to build this unpopular station or find a buyer for the site.”

Stan Blackley, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “Given the huge number of people who have objected, local Councillors and Scottish Ministers would be foolish to ignore them. Scotland does not need another dirty coal-fired power station and the plans for this one should be consigned to the dustbin forthwith.”

More than 30ha of a coastal wildlife site used by tens of thousands of wintering water birds – the largest such site in Ayrshire – would be completely destroyed if the new power station is built.

Without 100% carbon capture in place, the scheme would also make a mockery of the Scottish Government’s world-leading climate change ambitions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2020.

Dr. Maggie Keegan, Scottish Wildlife Trust’s National Planning Co-ordinator, said: “The damage caused by the sea temperature rise will decimate the local lugworm population 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 – even worse, 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.”

Tim Cowen co-chair of Communities Opposed to New Coal at Hunterston (CONCH), added: “CONCH will be giving evidence to North Ayrshire Council at a pre-determination hearing on October 24. North Ayrshire Council will be meeting on November 9 to decide on whether or not to support Ayrshire Powers plans. If allowed to proceed, Ayrshire Powers plans will have a devastating impact on our health, environment and economy. It is vital that the Council put the interests of their constituents ahead of big polluting business. We are calling on councillors to give a strong signal to the Scottish Government and “Say no to dirty coal”.

RSPB Scotland, WWF Scotland, Friends of the Earth Scotland and Scottish Wildlife Trust, along with other charities, faith groups, and local campaigning organisations have vowed to continue the fight to stop the damaging scheme.

North Ayrshire Council will hear views from objectors and the applicant on Monday 24 October at Cunninghame House, before taking a decision on their position on the application on Wednesday 9 November.

Notes to editors

1. The campaign against the Hunterston coal-fired power station proposal is supported by a broad coalition of environment and faith groups, including RSPB Scotland, WWF Scotland, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Planning Democracy, Christian Aid, Church of Scotland, Oxfam, World Development Movement Scotland, and Communities Opposed to New Coal at Hunterston (CONCH).