DOGGER BANK D OFFSHORE WIND FARM (“THE PROJECT”) THE PLANNING ACT 2008 (“THE ACT”) – SECTION 48 ‘DUTY TO PUBLICISE’ INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (APPLICATIONS: PRESCRIBED FORMS AND PROCEDURE) REGULATIONS 2009 – REGULATION 4 – INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT) REGULATIONS 2017 – REGULATION 13 NOTICE OF PUBLICISING A PROPOSED APPLICATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER (“DCO”) FOR THE DOGGER BANK D OFFSHORE WIND FARM
The Application
Notice is hereby given that SSE Renewables and Equinor acting through Doggerbank Offshore Wind Farm Project 4 Projco Limited of No.1 Forbury Place, 43 Forbury Road, Reading, United Kingdom, RG1 3JH (the “Applicant”), are proposing to submit an application to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero under Section 37 of the Planning Act 2008 for development consent (the “Application”) for the Project.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is the world’s largest offshore wind
farm in construction, located in the North Sea. The first three phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Dogger Bank A, B and C, are underway. The Project is a proposed fourth phase which seeks to maximise the capacity of the eastern portion of the original Dogger Bank C area. The Project has the potential to export up to 1.5GW of energy and is expected to support the UK’s Net Zero targets.
The Project is a development for which development consent is required under Section 31 of the Planning Act 2008. As the Project is an offshore generating station with a proposed capacity of more than 100MW it is classified as a nationally significant infrastructure project under Sections 14(1)(a) and 15(3) of the Planning Act 2008.
The Application will seek powers for the Applicant to construct, operate and maintain and decommission the Project. It will also cover:
- The temporary and permanent compulsory acquisition of land and/or rights which are required for the Project and/or are required to facilitate or are incidental to the Project;
- Overriding easements and other rights over or affecting the land for the Project;
- The application and/or disapplication of legislation relevant to the Project including legislation relating to compulsory acquisition; and
- Such ancillary, incidental and consequential provisions, permits and consents as are necessary and convenient including deemed marine licences. About the Project The Project will comprise both permanent and temporary infrastructure for the generation and transmission of electricity from up to 113 wind turbines in the array area located in the Dogger Bank, North Sea. Electricity generated from the Project will be transmitted to shore via offshore export cables, making landfall southeast of Skipsea in East Riding of Yorkshire. From there, underground onshore high voltage direct current (HVDC) cables will connect to a converter station, with high voltage alternating current (HVAC) cables continuing to the proposed National Grid Birkhill Wood Substation. Note that Birkhill Wood Substation is being developed separately by National Grid Electricity Transmission and does not form part of the Project proposals.
Project infrastructure will comprise, but is not limited to:
• Offshore infrastructure including offshore wind turbines and associated foundation structures, offshore platform(s) and associated foundation structures,
inter-array cables and offshore export cables;
• Landfall infrastructure such as a transition joint bay and associated underground link box to connect the offshore and onshore export cables;
• Onshore infrastructure including underground HVDC cables (up to 500kV), HVAC cables (400kV), jointing bays, link boxes, a converter station, energy storage and balancing infrastructure, and a connection to the national grid substation; and
• Environmental areas for biodiversity net gain, enhancement and/or mitigation, with permanent access for operation and maintenance of those areas.
Environmental Impact Assessment
The Applicant has notified the Secretary of State in writing under Regulation 8(1)(b) of The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (the “EIA Regulations”) that they intend to provide an Environmental Statement (ES) in respect of the Project. The Project is an “EIA development” for the purposes of the EIA Regulations and an ES will form part of the Application.
The Project is consulting on its preliminary assessment of the environmental effects that are compiled in a Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR) and is accompanied by a Non-Technical Summary (NTS) of the PEIR.
Consultation materials
The Applicant has published a number of materials to support this consultation (“the Consultation Materials”). These include, but are not limited to:
• The PEIR which sets out the current environmental baseline, assesses the potential environmental impacts of and to the project, and proposes mitigations for potential likely significant effects;
• A NTS of the PEIR; and
• Plans of the onshore development area, provided in various formats.
Other consultation information
The Applicant has also published other consultation information including the following:
- Statement of Community Consultation (“SoCC”), which sets out how the Applicant will consult local communities during the statutory consultation;
- Statutory Consultation Brochure, which outlines the Project’s proposals, consultation activities and summarises the PEIR;
- Statutory Consultation Poster, which explains how people can take part in the consultation, attend an event and provide feedback; and
- Consultation newsletter, a newsletter which summarises key information about the Project sent to those who have registered an interest in the Project via the Project website.
- The consultation materials, PEIR, SoCC and other consultation information can also be accessed via the Project website at: https://doggerbankd.com/consultation. All consultation materials will be available on the Project website from 10 June 2025. Printed copies of the consultation brochure, plans, feedback form (with a FREEPOST envelope) and the PEIR NTS can be requested using the contact details below. One copy of each is available free of charge.
Consultation materials are also be provided in large print, alternative formats and different languages upon request. In accordance with this notice, a reasonable copying charge may apply for requests for a full paper copy of the PEIR. Alternatively, if you prefer a USB with the documents, we can send one free of charge. For any queries relating to accessing consultation materials please email contact@doggerbankd. com or call 0800 254 5029.
This notice and its contents form part of the consultation process required by the Act, and we would like your feedback. Your comments are important in helping us refine our proposals. The consultation starts on 10 June 2025 and the deadline for submitting responses to the consultation is 23:59 on 5 August 2025. Upcoming consultation events and webinars
You can also view consultation materials at the consultation events where you can speak with members of the Project team. Consultation events and webinars will be held at the following venues, times and dates:
Deposit locations Printed copies of the consultation materials will be available from 10 June 2025 to 5 August 2025 in the following locations. Opening hours are subject to change, please check before you visit. Each deposit location has computer facilities available for public use which will allow access to the PEIR and other consultation documents on the Applicant’s website.
Responding to this notice A feedback form will be available on the Project website and at consultation events, deposit locations, or can be provided on request. Anyone can comment on the proposals for the Project or respond to this notice. The consultation brochure and feedback form outline specific topics where feedback is requested, but consultees are welcome to give feedback on any aspect of the Project.
Responding to this notice There are several ways to submit feedback: • Return a completed feedback form (paper or online version) • By email contact@doggerbankd.com • In writing, at no cost, to FREEPOST DOGGER BANK D. Please be advised it is not possible to send registered post to a freepost address. Consultation responses received will be reviewed and taken into consideration by the Applicant and any appointed agent of the Applicant. Copies of consultation responses will be made available in due course to the Secretary of State, the Planning Inspectorate, and other relevant statutory authorities as part of a Consultation Report to be submitted with the Application for development consent and will therefore be made publicly available. Please see our data privacy notice on the website: https://www.doggerbankd.com/privacy/ Please note that all comments must be received by the Applicant by 23:59 on 5 August 2025.
