Here we go again, sadly (Coul Links)

In February 2020, we celebrated some fantastic news for nature. The Scottish Government had just announced that the proposals for a golf development at Coul Links near Embo had been refused.

For many of us, it was a huge relief and a truly uplifting end to more than four years of fighting to protect this special area, as part of a huge collective effort with conservation partners and more than 13,000 members of the public and the local community. An area that is protected at the national (Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)) and international (Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar) level for its dune habitats, birds and rare invertebrates.

We were delighted to see the Scottish Government make good on its commitment to tackle the nature and climate emergency and rightly give this site the protection it deserves. Allowing a golf course development to damage an internationally important wildlife site would certainly not have put us on a track to achieve nature’s recovery in Scotland. The decision gave us hope. 

Now, just over two years later, we seem to be back to the start facing a potential proposal for a golf course covering the same area as the previous proposal. And once again we have come together as part of a coalition of seven environmental groups. Alongside Buglife, Butterfly Conservation, Plantlife, Marine Conservation Society, the National Trust for Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, we will continue to fight to #SaveCoulLinks.

In June, a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) was submitted to The Highland Council by the developer C4C. This notice lets the council know that the company intends to submit a new planning application for the construction of an 18-hole golf course at Coul Links and what public consultation they will carry out before the submission. Although only limited information needs to be submitted as part of the PAN, worryingly it seems the location remains the same as the previous application.

During the public inquiry for the previous proposed development, the Reporters concluded that the proposal was: “likely to have a significant adverse impact on wintering and breeding birds, even after mitigation, arising from disturbance and habitat loss”. They also emphasised the proposed development had the potential to have significant adverse impacts on an unusually rich variety of butterflies and moths, together with some rare invertebrate species and concluded that the loss of specially protected habitats, including dune slacks and dune heath meant there would be a likely significant adverse effect on the overall system of sand dune habitats. 

Dune slacks at Coul Links by Alison Searl (rspb-images.com)

Given the new proposal is for the same location, within the boundary of the Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet SPA and Ramsar site and the Loch Fleet SSSI, and despite claims that changes to the design have been made to reduce negative impacts, we are still hugely concerned that such a development would result in irreparable harm to the complex dune habitat which is home to a wide range of wildlife.   

Coul Links is a beautiful, natural, coastal dune and one of the last areas of undeveloped species-rich dune habitat in Scotland. It is particularly special because it is a system of dynamic, shifting dunes, as well as static older dunes, seasonally flooded dune slacks and ancient sand dunes covered by heath. These habitats will be lost if the area is developed.

Previous surveys have shown that this area supports many different birds, especially curlews, oystercatchers, dunlins, bar-tailed godwits, ringed plovers and terns. Large flocks of eider overwinter just offshore. During the breeding season the links are alive with birdsong. Many of the breeding birds which stand to lose their homes, such as skylarks, whinchats and cuckoos, are all in decline across the UK.

Dunlin by Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)

The dunes also provide home to a colourful and rich variety of flowering plants (including sea centuary, purple milk-vetch, moonwort and frog orchid) and insects including some rare specialist species.

Many of the animals, birds and insects present depend upon free movement between the different dune habitats (at different stages of their life cycle, for example).

This movement is possible because of the mosaic of dune habitats with human visitors mainly sticking to the few footpaths that pass through the site. The construction of a network of tees, fairways, manicured greens and footpaths weaving through the SSSI and SPA would destroy the habitat mosaic. Inappropriate development on the site would mean wildlife would no longer be able to freely move between the remaining fragmented pockets of dune habitats. Many of the birds and other animals that currently use the site would be scared off by increased and regular human presence and be unlikely to return.

We need to learn the lessons from the dunes at Menie, in Aberdeenshire which was damaged beyond repair by another insensitive golf development, Trump International, being permitted despite strong opposition. This development resulted in this part of nationally important SSSI losing its designated status.

Six-spot burnet moth at Coul Links by Alison Searl (rspb-images.com)

We are facing a nature and climate emergency. Ensuring damaging developments cannot take place in existing protected areas is critical to addressing this. The Scottish Government has committed to protecting 30% of land for nature by 2030. To ensure a nature positive future, we need to make sure that the existing and future protected areas are not repeatedly threatened by damaging development.

We encourage anyone concerned about saving nature to raise concerns through the pre-application process by emailing buildcoul@gmail.com and contacting their local MSP.

Documents submitted by the developer (reference 22/02800/PAN) can be found on the Highland Council website at: https://wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=RDVK6QIH0HZ00 

The members of the coalition will be considering the proposals carefully before submitting comments. But watch this space as we will need of your voice and your support to #SaveCoulLinks (again).

Foredunes at Coul Links by Alison Searl (rspb-images.com)