UK's offshore wind farms are about to get bigger after the Crown Estate decided that seven sites could comfortably expand their operations without posing any threat to the environment.
According to an official statement the Crown Estate has given the green light to seven out of eight UK offshore wind expansion projects with a combined capacity of 2.85 GW to progress to the award of leasing rights round.
The Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA), which The Crown Estate has undertaken as a requirement of the Habitats Regulations, assesses the possible impact of the proposed windfarm extensions on relevant nature conservation sites of European importance.
Throughout its assessment process, The Crown Estate, supported by expert independent advisors, has consulted with the statutory marine planning authorities, the statutory nature conservation bodies and a number of non-governmental stakeholders.
The developers of the seven extensions listed above will now progress with project specific environmental assessments and surveys before seeking planning consent for their projects through the statutory planning process.
Will Apps, Head of Energy Development at The Crown Estate said: “Project extensions offer an efficient opportunity to unlock almost a 10% increase in the UK offshore wind portfolio, supporting the continued growth of the development pipeline and demonstrating continued strong market appetite for new projects in UK waters."
“In today’s increasingly busy sea-space, a collaborative approach will become all the more crucial, ensuring that the continued ambitious growth of offshore wind happens in balance with the wide range of other interests offshore. We’ll continue to work closely with customers, stakeholders and Government to address spatial challenges, in support of responsible, future deployment of UK offshore wind,” Apps added.