Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has accepted an application by Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Ltd (the "Applicant") of 12 Alva Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH2 4QG for a Development Consent Order (“DCO”) under the Planning Act 2008 (“the Application”). The Application was submitted by the Applicant to the Secretary of State, C/O the Planning Inspectorate on 31 May 2024 and was accepted on 27 June 2024. The reference number applied to the Application by the Planning Inspectorate is EN010121.

Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Generation Assets ("the Project")

The windfarm site (encompassing all Project infrastructure) is located in the Eastern Irish Sea, approximately 30km from the nearest point on the coast of Lancashire, 50km from the north coast of Wales and 59km from the coast of the Isle of Man. The Project refers to the Generation Assets located within the windfarm site, including wind turbine generators (WTGs), inter-array cables, offshore substation platform(s) (OSP(s)) and possible platform link cables to connect OSPs.

When fully operational, the windfarm is anticipated to generate a nominal capacity of 480MW and produce renewable power for over 500,000 homes in the UK.

The proposed DCO will, among other things, authorise:

a) The construction and operation of up to 35 offshore WTGs and their foundations;

b) The construction of up to two OSPs and their foundations; and

c) The construction of a network of subsea inter-array cables and platform link cables.

A separate development consent order is being sought for the transmission assets required to convey the electricity generated by the WTGs from the Project to shore and onwards to the existing National Grid substation at Penwortham, Lancashire. An application seeking development consent for this transmission infrastructure, as well as the transmission infrastructure of the Morgan Offshore Wind Project, pursuant to a direction issued by the Secretary of State on 4 October 2022 under section 35 of the Planning Act 2008, is being prepared and will be submitted jointly by Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Ltd and Morgan Offshore Wind Limited.

Environmental Impact Assessment - The Project is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development as defined in the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. Consequently, the Applicant has submitted an Environmental Statement (ES) as part of the Application. A Non-Technical Summary (“NTS”) of the ES is also available.

Viewing the DCO application

The DCO application documents, including the application form, plans and maps, can be freely viewed on the Planning Inspectorate’s website for the full relevant representation period and throughout the examination of the Application here: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010121.

You may also access the online versions of the DCO application documents free-of-charge at the below locations, until at least the end of the relevant representation period of 19 August 2024. Please check directly with the facilities to confirm their opening hours, as well as any bookings or registrations that might be required to access the documents digitally through the computers available at the respective locations.

Isle of Man

North West England

North Wales

*Membership and/ or library card required to use facilities

If you require an alternative method for inspection of the DCO application documents or have any queries, including how to access the documents on the Planning Inspectorate’s website, please call the Applicant on 0800 915 2493 (option 2) or email hello@morecambeoffshorewind.com.

The Applicant can also provide any of the documents as required on a USB (free of charge). Hard copies of the NTS can also be provided upon reasonable request. Provision of hard copies of the ES will be subject to a maximum charge of £6,500 plus VAT, to cover printing and delivery costs.

Relevant Representation

Anyone may register as an Interested Party by submitting a Relevant Representation on the Application during the representation period. The Relevant Representation must be made directly to the Planning Inspectorate (effectively giving notice of any interest in, or objection to, the Application).

Any Relevant Representation must be submitted on the required registration form provided by the Planning Inspectorate and must include details of the party’s name, address and telephone number, principal submissions, and where practicable, the full particulars of the points raised. Please refer to the Planning Inspectorate’s Advice Note 8.2: How to Register to Participate in an Examination, for more information on this process, it can be found online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationally-significant-infrastructure-projects-advice-note-eight-overview-of-the-nationally-significant-infrastructure-planning-process-for-members/nationally-significant-infrastructure-projects-advice-note-82-how-to-register-to-participate-in-an-examination

The Relevant Representation registration form must be completed and can be accessed online via the Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Generation Assets project page on the Planning Inspectorate’s website here:

https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010121

Please contact the Planning Inspectorate directly if you require a hard copy of the registration form by telephoning 0303 444 5000 and quoting the name of the Application and the Planning Inspectorate’s reference number: EN010121. A completed hard copy form can be sent to: The Planning Inspectorate, Temple Quay House, Temple Quay, BRISTOL BS1 6PN.

Please note that all representations submitted will be published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website and will be subject to their privacy policy, found online here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-inspectorate-privacy-notices

Relevant representations can be made up to and including 19 August 2024.

Further information about Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Generation Assets can be found on the project website:

www.morecambeandmorgan.com/morecambe or by contacting the team on 0800 915 2493 (option 2) or email hello@morecambeoffshorewind.com.