Swedish developer Vattenfall is seeking feedback from local communities on preliminary environmental information for the 1800MW Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farm off the east coast of England.
The assessment by independent specialists, combined with local feedback received before and during the community consultation, will allow a final proposal and any plans for mitigation to be submitted into planning in summer 2019.
Vattenfall is proposing to deploy a minimum of 90 turbines potentially up to 350 metres high above sea level with a potential capacity of up to 20MW. The Norfolk Boreas development area is 73km off the Norfolk coast.
It is proposed that the power will come ashore at Happisburgh and be exported to the National Grid substation near Necton via a 60km underground transmission cable, alongside its sister project, Norfolk Vanguard.
Local communities and residents can view the preliminary environmental information at various locations around the Norfolk and at seven public information days. They can also provide feedback to Vattenfall by completing a paper questionnaire or online.
The public information days start on 14 November at Happisburgh with the final information day to be held in Reepham on 24 November.
Vattenfall project manager for Norfolk Boreas Graham Davey said: “The feedback we have received over the past two years about Norfolk Boreas and Norfolk Vanguard has given us a good idea of local issues and opportunities.“
That feedback has helped us minimise impact and identify benefits which will maximise local value. The environmental information we are consulting on builds on that picture.
“But with this community consultation we want to take this opportunity to further refine the Norfolk Boreas proposal before submitting to decision makers next summer.”
The information gathered during the statutory consultation will help Vattenfall complete the project’s final design and any necessary mitigation ahead of a formal application in summer 2019 for a development consent order from the Secretary of State for Energy in 2020.
Source:renews
