Golden eagle project renews calls to reject wind farm

A project to boost golden eagle numbers in southern Scotland has renewed its calls for a wind farm to be rejected due to concerns over the risk of collisions.

Fred Olsen Renewables wants to construct eight turbines at Scawd Law near Walkerburn in the Borders.

The charity Restoring Upland Nature (RUN) - formerly the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP) - said it estimated there could be 14 incidents over the 40-year operational life of the scheme.

The company said it took ornithological assessments seriously and did not agree with RUN's interpretation of their data.

RUN warned that the estimate of 14 incidents was greater than the total estimated collision risk at all other 41 wind farms across southern Scotland combined.

The first chicks from the project were released in a secret location in the Moffat Hills in 2018 having been brought from the Highlands.

At the time there were only between two and four breeding pairs in the south of Scotland.

Numbers have risen to about 50 and they have spread their wings across the border into England.

However, conservationists are concerned at the impact the Scawd Law scheme could have in the Moorfoot Hills which are home to one of the first settled breeding pairs from the project.

RUN's Dr Cat Barlow said they did not believe it was the right place for a wind farm.

She said they had "significant concerns" that the proposal would pose an "unacceptable risk to the fragile local golden eagle population at a particularly critical time".

"Some of the data currently relied upon by the developer is outdated and substantially underestimates golden eagle activity in the area," she added.

The company said it was confident its plans were "appropriate for the local area".

It added that - along with a "substantial" community benefit fund of £8m - it hoped the scheme would "present many opportunities for the local community".

A statement added: "We take ornithological assessments seriously when considering new project locations.

"We have carefully reviewed the concerns raised by RUN regarding the Scawd Law proposal.

"Our assessments, supported by independent specialists, indicate that the predicted impacts and associated risks have been fully considered and assessed in line with the relevant licence requirements and, as such, we don't agree with RUN's interpretation of their own data."

However, it said it remained committed to "open and constructive dialogue with stakeholders"