Energy secretary grants DCO for offshore wind farm off coast of Norfolk.

A wind farm off the coast of Norfork has been granted a development consent order (DCO) by Kwasi Kwarten.

Green Light

Applicant Norfolk Vanguard Limited can erect and operate up to 158 wind turbines off the coast of Norfolk in East Anglia. The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy gave the go-ahead this week.

Previously, the examining authority – the Planning Inspectorate – recommended that the scheme be refused.

The offshore site will occupy about 592 square kilometres over two areas – Norfolk Vanguard East and Norfolk Vanguard West.

The examining authority said it could “not rule out an adverse effect on the integrity of sites and species designated under the Habitats Regulations”. It also stated that impacts from the proposed development and other projects “on certain seabird species (separate from the impacts on the bird species from the Habitats Regulations sites) weigh against development consent being granted”.

Benefits

However, the examining authority found that the benefits of the proposed development outweighed its harm. Consequently it provided a form that consent could be granted in.

Alok Sharma - then energy secretary - noted that there were a range of views about the potential effects of the development. These included concerns expressed about the effects on the landscape around the substation, traffic and transport impacts. However, he granted consent in July 2020.

Closely Related

Justice Holgate noted that the Vanguard development is “closely related” to Vattenfall’s (parent company of Norfolk Vanguard) Boreas offshore wind farm project. Together, they would have an export capacity of 3.6GW. At the time, a decision had not been made but has since been granted by Kwarteng.

Considering the scheme for a second time, the Planning Inspectorate recommended that the energy secretary should not grant the order. However, it said that if the energy secretary did decide to grant the order, it should be made in “in the form recommended at Appendix D”.

Kwarteng considers the development to accord with the relevant national policy statements. In addition, it benefits from the “presumption in favour of electricity generating stations in general." This is "in favour of offshore wind farm generating stations in particular”.

Affordable Energy

Granting consent, the decision letter explains, would be consistent with government policy and “will contribute to the delivery of low-carbon and renewable energy." In turn, "ensuring a secure, diverse and affordable energy supply in line with legal commitments to ‘net zero’ in the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Climate Change Act 2008 (as amended) and the need to address climate change”.

Helene Biström, head of business area wind at Vattenfall, said: “Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas are industry leading projects, with their designs coordinated to minimise the impact on the environment and communities. We are very pleased to receive consent for Norfolk Vanguard. Although the decision was unfortunately made too late to enable us to bid this project into the current CfD auction round 4, we will now look into potential opportunities to progress this project, working closely with the supply chain and local communities.”

Together, Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas form the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone will accommodate from 180-312 wind turbines. First power from the planned 3.6-GW complex is expected in the mid-2020s.

When fully operational, it will be able to supply enough electricity to meet the annual demand of about 3.9 million UK homes.

Helene Biström head of business area wind at Vattenfall, said:

“Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas are industry leading projects, with their designs coordinated to minimise the impact on the environment and communities. We are very pleased to receive consent for Norfolk Vanguard.

“Although the decision was unfortunately made too late to enable us to bid this project into the current CfD auction round 4, we will now look into potential opportunities to progress this project, working closely with the supply chain and local communities.”