Plan for 200 more wind turbines off Yorkshire Coast may pose new peril for wide range of bird species

 

Oh no, not another windfarm! Gannets look out to sea from the cliffs at Bempton near Bridlington

A FURTHER 200 wind turbines could be installed some 70 miles off the Yorkshire Coast.

German company RNE Renewables has unveiled plans for two windfarms on the Dogger Bank close to where a British  company, SSE Renewables, is already developing similar projects.

The site is deemed ideal for such activity because its relative shallowness facilitates easier construction of the turbine foundations. 

'Dogger' is  the name used for old Dutch fishing vessels.

Historically, the area is thought to have comprised 'Doggerland' - connecting Britain to mainland Europe and an ancestral route for migrating birds before it was submerged by a tsunami-type event around 6,500 years BC. 

Over the years, trawlers have netted many artefacts revealing that the land was once inhabited by humans and other mammals. 

Although the principle of wind energy is mostly supported by wildlife-supporting groups, this new initiative may raise eyebrows  with organisations ranging from the RSPB to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to the observatories at Spurn, Flamborough and Filey.

The impact of offshore turbines on migratory landbirds, wildfowl and waders has not been well researched, but their negative impact on the feeding activities of species such as puffins and kittiwakes is scientifically established.

From next Tuesday, June 6, a summary of the RWE proposal - including a preliminary environmental assessment will be available to view at www.doggerbanksouth.co.uk.

From that date until July 17, a consultation process will allow organisations and individuals to make representations by email to dbs@rwe.com or by post to Freepost DBSOWF.

Dogger Bank - a large area of the southern North Sea (image via Wikimedia Commons)