Public Notice: Mona Offshore Wind Ltd

4th April 2024

MONA OFFSHORE WIND LTD SECTION 56 PLANNING ACT 2008

REGULATION 9 INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (APPLICATIONS: PRESCRIBED FORMS AND PROCEDURE) REGULATIONS 2009

REGULATION 16 OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT) REGULATIONS 2017

NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE OF AN APPLICATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER (“DCO”)

Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has accepted an application by Mona Offshore Wind Ltd (the “Applicant”) of Building B, Chertsey Road, Sunbury on Thames, UK, TW16 7BP 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 22/02/2024 and was accepted on 21/03/2024. The reference number applied to the Application by the Planning Inspectorate is EN010137.

The Application is for development consent to construct, operate and decommission the proposed Mona Offshore Wind Farm (the Project) located off the coast of North Wales. The Project comprises up to 96 wind turbine generators and associated onshore and offshore infrastructure. The Project will be located within Welsh waters and within the Counties of Denbighshire and Conwy.

The DCO application will cover:

• construction, operation and maintenance and decommissioning of the Project;
• the compulsory acquisition of land including rights in or over land required for the purposes of the Project, and land required to facilitate or is incidental to the Project;
• the application and/or disapplication of legislation relevant to the Project including that relating to the compulsory acquisition of land; and
• further provisions, permissions or consents as are necessary and/or convenient including a deemed marine licence.

The Project

The Project consists of a proposed offshore wind farm located in the Irish Sea, and associated offshore and onshore infrastructure. The wind farm is expected to comprise up to 96 wind turbine generators. At the closest points the array area is 28.8 km from the north coast of Wales, 46.9 km from the northwest coast of England, and 46.6 km from the Isle of Man. The offshore export cable corridor will be approximately 46 km in length and the onshore export cable corridor (including 400 kV cable corridor) will be approximately 16 km in length.

The proposed DCO will, among other things, authorise:

1. The construction and operation of up to 96 offshore wind turbine generators and their foundations;
2. The construction of up to four offshore substation platforms (OSP) and their foundations;
3. The construction of a network of subsea inter-array cables connecting the wind turbine generators and a network of interconnector cables connecting the OSPs;
4. The installation of up to four subsea export cable circuits to transmit the electricity generated by the wind turbine generators to shore. The Project’s offshore export cable corridor extents south-eastwards from the array area to the proposed landfall at Llanddulas in Conwy;
5. The construction of up to four transition joint bays at landfall connecting the offshore cables to the onshore cables;
6. The installation of up to four underground onshore export cable circuits connecting from the transition joint bays at landfall to the project onshore substation;
7. The construction and operation of a new project onshore substation to the south of St Asaph Business Park and Glascoed Road in Denbighshire;
8. The installation of up to two underground onshore export cable circuits connecting the proposed onshore substation to the National Grid Bodelwyddan substation to allow the power to be transferred to the National Grid; and
9. Works to connect the Project to the National Grid Bodelwyddan substation in Denbighshire.

The DCO would also authorise the compulsory acquisition of land, interests in land and rights over land, and the powers to use land permanently and temporarily for the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of an offshore wind farm.

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 as part of the Application. A Non-Technical Summary (“NTS”) of the Environmental Statement is also available.

Viewing the DCO application

All of the DCO application documents, including the application form and all the plans and maps, can be freely viewed on the Planning Inspectorate’s website for the full relevant representations period and throughout the examination period here on the Mona Offshore Wind Farm project page:  https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/wales/mona-offshore-wind-farm/

You may also access these online versions of the Mona DCO documents free-of-charge at the below locations, until at least the end of the relevant representation period of 6 May 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.

If you require an alternative method for inspection of the DCO application or have any queries, including how to access the documents on the Planning Inspectorate’s website, please call the Applicant on 0800 860 6263 or email info@monaoffshorewind.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 £7,000, 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, along with a summary of key points laying out the basis on which the representation is made. 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://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/legislation-and-advice/advice-notes/advice-note-8-2-how-to-register-to-participate-in-an-examination/

The Relevant Representation registration form must be completed and can be accessed online via the Mona project page on the Planning Inspectorate’s website here: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/wales/mona-offshore-wind-farm/

Please contact the Planning Inspectorate directly if you require a hard copy of the registration form by telephoning them on 0303 444 5000 and quoting the name of the Application and Planning Inspectorate’s reference number: EN010137. 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 6 May 2024.

Please quote the Planning Inspectorate’ reference number EN010137 in all correspondence with the Planning Inspectorate about this Application.

Further information about Mona can be found on the project website: https://www.morganandmona.com or by contacting the team at 0800 860 6263 or email info@monaoffshorewind.com.

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