In November 2008, Peel Energy and Danish power company DONG Energy announced plans for a 1,852 MW coal-fired power station on a 95-hectare (236 acre) site at Hunterston. The proposed power station would be coal-fired with up to 15% biomass.
The proposal has since been included in the final National Planning Framework 2 (NPF2) as one of 14 'national developments', which are large-scale infrastructure projects deemed to be in the national interest.
Although planning permission (and other permissions as necessary) are still required, the 'need' for a national development cannot be challenged. This is being contested through a Judicial Review taken forward by a resident of North Ayrshire.
We have very serious concerns about this development and the direct damage it will cause to the local biodiversity and indirect impacts to the wider environment through increased emissions of greenhouse gases.
In October 2009, DONG Energy announced that they were pulling out of plans to build the new power station. We welcomed this announcement as this gives a clear signal that the developers view proposals for environmentally damaging coal fired power stations as a bad investment opportunity.
Disappointingly the other partner in the project, Peel Energy, remains committed to the project.
The full application for the power station was submitted on 2 June 2010. Additional information was sought by a number of statutory consultees and an addendum was submitted for further consultation in the summer of 2011.
North Ayrshire Council – a key consultee – have since objected to the proposals. Amongst their concerns are that the power station would not capture 100 per cent of carbon emissions from the first day of operation, and that the development would have an adverse impact on landscape quality, built heritage and designated natural heritage sites. The Council's objection triggers a public inquiry and in May 2012 the Scottish Government's Department for Planning and Environment Appeals (DPEA) contacted all those who have objected to, or supported, Hunterston. The communication informs people of the forthcoming public inquiry and details how to get involved. Crucially, it confirms that all original representations will be taken into account by the inquiry reporters. For more details click here.
It is our intention to play an active part in the public inquiry and the evidence that we provide will back up our original reasons for objecting to Hunterston. We are also working with a coalition of NGOs under the banner of the Say 'No' to Hunterston Campaign to ensure that a broad range of concerns are raised during the inquiry.
Why is this site worth fighting for?
Part of the proposed development would include building on roughly 32 hectares of Southannan Sands - an area important for its mudflat and seagrass beds, and which also supports large numbers of wintering birds such as redshanks and curlews.
Hunterston and Southannan Sands is the largest mudflat on the Ayrshire coast, and is a very significant area of intertidal habitat nestled within an otherwise rocky coastline. In 1971, it was designated as part of the Portencross Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
But it isn't just the impact that the new power station would have on the SSSI that we are worried about - it would also lead to significant increases in carbon emissions. Though the developer has said that carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) would be used, they also admit this would only remove 15% of carbon dioxide from the outset, leaving most emissions to be released into the atmosphere. CCS would be far better trialled on an existing power station where real emissions reductions could be achieved.
If consented, the additional emissions resulting from the plant have the potential to seriously undermine Government's sustainable development and CO2 reduction commitments.
Indeed, the Scottish Government has just set ambitious and welcome targets for reducing carbon emissions as part of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act. It is extremely difficult to see how these targets of 42% reductions in Scotland's carbon emissions by 2020, and 80% by 2050, can be met if new unabated coal-fired power stations are built.
How you can help
If you have a couple of minutes you can...
...support our campaign and say 'No!' to a new coal-fired power station at Hunterston by signing our online petition. We'll use your signature to urge the Scottish Government to reject the proposals. Although the official consultation period has closed, the Scottish Government has confirmed that they will accept letters of objection right up until a decision is made on the power station.
If you have half an hour you can...
...write a short letter to your local or national newpaper. Email campaigns.scotland@rspb.org.uk for guidance.
If you have a couple of minutes you can...
...join our Facebook group to receive updates on the campaign and the forthcoming public inquiry.
Our position
This development is of real concern to us for two reasons – firstly, it would destroy around 30 hectares of a nationally designated site of nature conservation importance, and secondly, it would cause a huge surge in Scotland's carbon emissions at a time when urgent action is needed to tackle climate change.
We have objected to the proposals on the basis of unacceptable direct biodiversity impacts, unacceptable climate change impacts, and a lack of certainty over the full environmental impacts of the development.
We do not believe that building a new and largely unabated coal-fired power station in Scotland is compatible with the Scottish Government's ambitions on climate change, particularly the legally binding targets to reduce carbon emissions by 42% by 2020, and 80% by 2050. Instead, we support the transition to a low-carbon energy sector based on an increasing focus on delivering renewable energy developments which do not have unnecessary impacts on the natural environment. Whilst we are broadly supportive of the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology as part of our transition to a low carbon society, we believe that CCS should be trialled on an existing power station where a real reduction in emissions would be achieved. It must not be used to justify additional greenhouse gas emissions.
We have been working closely with a number of other concerned organisations including WWF Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the World Development Movement Scotland, Christian Aid Scotland, Friends of the Earth Scotland and the Church of Scotland to try and stop the proposal.
And we're not the only people who are concerned about the proposed power station. Since the application was lodged more than 20,000 people have written to the Scottish Government urging them to say no to the proposal.