A £2bn offshore wind project is poised to move ahead after developers won the right to build off the coast of Scotland after years of legal wrangling over the impact on local birds.

The Neart na Gaoithe wind farm was granted permission by the Scottish government in 2014 but wind developer Mainstream Renewable Power has been unable to move ahead due to a barrage of opposition from the RSPB.

The green group raised concern that the 64 turbines built nine miles off the coast of Fife would pose a danger to local birds.

But a Supreme Court ruling found in favour of the turbine-builders, clearing the way for work to start on the project next year.

Andy Kinsella, the chief executive of Mainstream, said: “After more than two and a half years, two court hearings and two rejected applications for leave to appeal by RSPB Scotland, we can finally focus on delivering the very significant benefits this project brings to the Scottish economy and its environment.”

Mr Kinsella said that in the meantime the group has been able to take advantage of the booming technological advances in offshore wind which have caused costs to plummet, meaning the project will generate the same amount of wind power from 54 turbines, rather than 64.