Rural Affairs and the Environment – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:15 pm on 30 September 2010.
To ask the Scottish Executive when the renotification process for the Portencross coast site of special scientific interest will take place. (S3O-11549)
Scottish Natural Heritage has advised that it intends to await the outcome of the application by Ayrshire Power Ltd at Hunterston before it considers the renotification of the Portencross coast site of special scientific interest. However, SNH will review the position if the application is withdrawn or delayed significantly.
The difficulty with SNH's current position is that the public are entitled to know what are the boundaries of the SSSI that SNH, as the relevant statutory body, seeks to protect. SNH has not disclosed what the boundaries might be after the renotification, but it is nonetheless prepared to enter negotiations with a private developer and to disclose to it what the boundaries might be. I believe that to be unsatisfactory and not in the public interest.
I would be in a slightly difficult position if I got into too open a discussion about what might be a commercial conversation—especially about just one half of the conversation that is being referred to. There is an existing SSSI, and the renotification does not change the duty to protect it. I take on board Ross Finnie's point about the currently available information on the existing boundaries. I cannot answer the question whether those boundaries would change under renotification, but I will have a conversation with Mr Finnie to discuss the issue
I will call question 10 if the minister and the member are very brief.