Danish windfarm giant wins appeal to build nesting tower for kittiwakes on North-east England coast

Bring on the kittiwakes - the 10-sided nesting 'hotel' could accommodate up to 500 pairs (image: LDA Design)

WINDFARM giant Ørsted has won its appeal to build a kittiwake breeding 'hotel' on the North-east coast of England.

Back in June 2022,  Hartlepool Borough Council planners refused its application to demolish a former yacht club in Hartlepool to make way for the project after heeding the concerns of some residents who were concerned about potential noise, smell and other 'nuisance'.

There was also an objection from landowner and port operator PD Ports that the proposed development could result in "additional environmental constraints affecting the current and future operations at and investment within the port".

The refusal was a setback to Denmark-based Ørsted because one of the conditions for its proposed 200-turbine  Hornsea 3 windfarm off the Yorkshire Coast is that mitigation breeding habitat must  be provided to compensate for the number of kittiwakes (estimated up to 73 a year) at risk of death from collision with the rotating turbine blades.

Hence the company's decision to appeal which was considered by independent inspector Susan Hunt who, after having heard numerous submissions and carried out a site visit, has overturned the council's planning decision and determined in favour of the project.

In her report, the inspector states: "Evidence from elsewhere indicates that the introduction of a purpose-built nesting structure will, over time, alter the distribution of existing nesting sites across the town, notably  around Hartlepool Headland and the port area.

"As a result,  noise  from kittiwakes which currently nest relatively close to residential properties are likely to decrease which should be of benefit in terms of effects on living conditions." 

 

                                       

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Continues the inspector:  "A number of third parties have also referred to the propensity of seabird guano in the area which may be exacerbated by the expected increase in kittiwakes.

"However. accumulation of guano is only likely to be a major issue at or below the proposed nesting structure. 

"Kittiwakes remain in their breeding colonies and fly directly out to sea to feed. They do not travel inland in urban areas to forage for food as do other gull species 

"Furthermore,  provision of the structure  would, over time, attract the existing nesting birds away from the headland and therefore decrease guano levels in residential and industrial areas."

Before selecting Hartlepool, Ørsted also explored as potential alternative locations three other sites in the North-east - Seaham, Boulby- Cowbar and Huntcliff - but these were ruled out.

As part of the same mitigation project, the company has already built  three other nesting structures, all in Suffolk - two at Lowestoft and one at Sizewell.

Why none in Lincolnshire - for instance, in Grimsby where Ørsted has an extremely important operations and maintenance hub?

As a colonial nesting species, kittiwakes are strongly attracted to areas where others  are already nesting, and there is no known colony in Lincolnshire.

Suffolk, indeed, is  the only county between Kent and Humberside with thriving  colonies. 

Hornsea 3 is targeted for completion in 2027.

The former yacht club premises which are due to make way for the nesting tower