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Consultation begins into offshore wind farm plans

Allan Watkiss
BBC News
SSE Renewables The Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Dozens of wind turbines can be seen in the sea. The view is taken from the top of one of the turbines. SSE Renewables
The Dogger Bank Wind Farm is the largest in the world

People are being invited to have their say on plans to extend the world's largest offshore windfarm.

Developers SSE Renewables and Equinor said Dogger Bank D would include up to 113 wind turbines about 210km (130 miles) off the East Yorkshire coast.

The project would also include onshore facilities to carry the electricity generated by the turbines into the national grid.

An eight-week statutory consultation into the proposals runs until Tuesday 5 August.

The project is an extension to the 277-turbine Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which is currently in construction and, when complete, will generate up to 3.6GW of electricity, enough to power four-and-a-half million homes.

SSE said Dogger Bank D would produce up to 2GW of additional power.

Plans include a subsea cable to export power from the wind farm to a landfall point near Skipsea.

From there, underground cables would transmit the electricity 55km (34 miles) to a new substation called Birkhill Wood, which is being developed near Cottingham.

Getty Images A construction site showing building of the electricity converter station in progressGetty Images
A converter station is being built to get the electricity generated at Dogger Bank into the national grid

The consultation into the plans includes two online sessions and six in-person events, taking place on the following days:

  • Tuesday 24 June, 15:00 to 18:30 BST: Skipsea Village Hall
  • Wednesday 25 June, 14:00 to 19:00: Leven Sports Hall
  • Thursday 26 June, 10:00 to 14:00: Cottingham Civic Hall
  • Thursday 26 June, 15:00 to 18:00: Walkington Village Hall
  • Friday 27 June, 10:00 to 14:00: Toll Gavel Church Hall, Beverley
  • Saturday 28 June, 10:00 to 14:00: Beverley Memorial Hall

Sophie Large, senior project manager for Dogger Bank D, said: "We are looking forward to welcoming the public to our consultation events for Dogger Bank D and providing the opportunity for the community to learn more about our proposals.

"It's important to us that local communities share their deep knowledge of the region and continue to review, and be informed about, our plans."

SSE Renewables and Equinor said they would use the feedback from the consultation in its final application for a Development Consent Order, which would have to be approved by the government.

The plans are also subject to a final investment decision by the developers.

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