The Supreme Court will not hear the RSPB's case against windfarm development in the firths of Forth and Tay

A wildlife charity’s bid to stop a windfarm development which it claims will threaten sea birds has been blocked.

RSPB Scotland objected to plans for the firths of Forth and Tay, which it said could put thousands of birds at risk.

Scottish ministers approved the Inch Cape, Neart na Gaoithe and Seagreen Alpha and Bravo projects in 2014. The RSPB took the matter to the Court of Session in Edinburgh because it thought the Scottish Government had acted unlawfully, and initially a decision was granted in its favour but later overturned on appeal.

The charity learned this week that its bid to refer the case to the Supreme Court had failed.

Anne McCall, director of RSPB Scotland, said: "We have worked on the Firth of Forth and Tay projects for nearly a decade to try and ensure that they progress without causing unacceptable harm to our internationally-important seabird colonies.

"If these consents and their predicted impacts are realised, there is little doubt these would be amongst the most damaging offshore wind farms for seabirds in the world.

"In addition to these enormous risks to wildlife, we had major concerns with the assessment methods and the approach taken by Scottish ministers. Due to these concerns, RSPB Scotland felt there was no other option but to judicially review the ministers' decisions."