Orsted Hornsea Project Three (UK) Ltd
Notice under Regulation 8 Infrastructure Planning (COMPULSORY ACQUISITION) Regulations 2010
HORNSEA PROJECT THREE OFFSHORE WIND FARM DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER (Planning Inspectorate Reference EN010080)
NOTICE OF PROVISION FOR POWERS OF COMPULSORY APPLICATION IN RESPECT OF ADDITIONAL LAND
Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has accepted an application by Orsted Hornsea Project Three (UK) Ltd of 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG (“the Applicant”) for a Development Consent Order (“DCO”) under the Planning Act 2008. The Application (Reference No. EN010080) was submitted by the Applicant to the Secretary of State c/o the Planning Inspectorate on 14 May 2018 and was accepted on 8 June 2018. The examination of the Application is ongoing.
On 15 January 2019 the Applicant submitted to the Secretary of State a request for the DCO to include authorisation for the compulsory acquisition of interests in and rights over additional land for Hornsea Three (“the Proposed Provision”).
Summary of the Proposed Development
The Application is for development consent to construct, operate and maintain Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm (Hornsea Three). Hornsea Three is the third development proposed within the former Hornsea Zone, and it comprises up to 300 offshore wind turbines together with associated offshore and onshore infrastructure and all associated development.
Hornsea Three is located within the former Hornsea Zone, to the east of Hornsea Project One and Hornsea Project Two. It is located 121 km off the Norfolk coast and 160 km off the Yorkshire coast, and covers an area of approximately 696 square kilometres. Development consent is required to the extent that development is or forms part of a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project pursuant to section 14(1)(a) and 15(3) of the Planning Act 2008. As Hornsea Three is expected to have a capacity of greater than 100MW it is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project for the purposes of the Planning Act 2008. It is for this reason that the project falls within the remit of the Secretary of State.
The electricity generated from Hornsea Three will be transmitted via subsea electricity cables. The Hornsea Three cable corridor extends from the Norfolk coast, offshore in a north-easterly direction to the western and southern boundary of the array area. From the landfall west of Weybourne on the Norfolk coast, underground onshore cables will connect the offshore wind farm to an onshore high voltage direct current (HVDC) converter station or a high voltage alternating current (HVAC) substation, which in turn, will connect to the existing Norwich Main National Grid substation, located to the south of Norwich. The mode of transmission will be either HVDC, HVAC or a combination of the two. Depending on the mode of transmission, a HVAC booster station may be required (onshore and/or offshore). Should an onshore HVAC booster station be required, this will be in the vicinity of Little Barningham. The application includes the option to construct Hornsea Three in one or two phases.
The draft DCO provides for flexibility in relation to the design of the generating stations and their associated development. The Development Consent Order would authorise the compulsory acquisition of land, interests in land and rights over land, and the powers to use land permanently and temporarily. The DCO would also authorise alterations to the public highway network, the construction of temporary and permanent accesses to Hornsea Three, the temporary stopping up or management of the public highway, public rights of way and street works and the application and/or disapplication of legislation.
Summary of the Proposed Provision
The Proposed Provision seeks powers of compulsory acquisition in respect of additional land at the following locations (“the Additional Land”):
| Plots | Description of Land |
| 9-017 | Field and agricultural land (Shrubbs Farm, west and south of New Covert) (North Norfolk District Council) |
| 9-025 | Field and agricultural land, access track and public restricted byway (Corpusty RB21) (Shrubbs Farm, west of Shrubbs Farm Cottages) (North Norfolk District Council |
| 10-004 | Public road and verge (Norwich Road, B1149) (North Norfolk District Council) |
| 27-009 | Fields, agricultural land, access track, woodland, hedgerows and overhead electricity lines (Algarsthorpe Farm, north of Bawburgh Road) (South Norfolk District Council) |
| 27-010A | Field and agricultural land (Algarsthorpe Farm, north of Bawburgh Road) (South Norfolk District Council) |
| 27-011 | Public road and verge (Bawburgh Road) (South Norfolk District Council) |
| 27-012 | Field and agricultural land (east of Bawburgh Road) (South Norfolk District Council) |
Statement of Reasons Relating to the Additional Land
In accordance with good practice as well as the requirements of compulsory acquisition guidance, the Applicant has continued to engage with interested parties, including affected landowners and stakeholders, since the submission of the Application.
The Additional Land included within the Proposed Provision is required as a consequence of on going consultation with landowners and Norfolk County Council as the highway authority.
| Plot Change | Statement of Reasons relating to the Additional Land |
| 9-017: Plot increased from 8627.3 metres squared to 9043.3 metres squared. | Following discussions with Norfolk County Council, the Applicant has applied for a minor widening of the road access point for the proposed onshore HVAC booster station (at the intersection with the B1149) for highway safety reasons to provide sufficient visibility and abnormal load swept path to accommodate the transportation of transformers to the site.
Additional minor widening of land on the internal (private) access road to accommodate the transportation of transformers to the site has also been applied for. |
| 9-025: Plot increased from 10188.5 metres squared to 10736.9 metres squared. | |
| 10-004: Plot increased from 95.2 metres squared to 457.8 metres squared. | |
| 27-009: Plot increased from 63615.55 metres squared to 65630.6 metres squared and moved to the south west. | The John Innes Centre (plots 27-012 and 27-013) form part of a research centre specialising in plant science and research. Since the submission of the Application, the Applicant has been informed by the landowner that the proposed onshore cable corridor may have an impact on the integrity of the scientific studies being undertaken in a field to the north-east of the cable corridor. The Applicant has applied for a revised route which relocates the cable corridor to the south west of the existing cable corridor so as to avoid the corner of a field where scientific studies are ongoing.
Plots 27-009, 27-010A and 27-011 need to be altered as a consequence of the relocation of plot 27-012. |
| 27-010A: New plot which is 796 metres squared added to replace 27-010 and adjoin the relocated cable corridor. | |
| 27-011: Plot increased from 586.28 metres squared to 626.4 metres squared and moved to the south west. | |
| 27-012: Plot increased from 47176.9 metres squared to 47344.2 metres squared and moved to the south west. |
Statement of Funding for the Proposed Compulsory Acquisition of Additional Land
The details of the Funding Statement submitted as part of the Application remain relevant in relation to the Proposed Provision and the acquisition of interests in and rights over the Additional Land.
The Funding Statement sets out how the compulsory acquisition of rights over land will be funded and the same mechanisms for funding will apply to the compulsory acquisition of rights over the Additional Land.
Copies of the Application Documents
Copies of the following documents may be inspected free of charge until 28 February 2019 at the times and locations set out in the table below:
The application for non-material amendments including Additional Land submitted to the Secretary of State.
Statement of Reasons which includes revisions to make provision for the Additional Land.
Book of Reference identifying affected land interests.
Revised plans to make provision for the Additional Land.
A map showing the location of the Additional Land.
A copy of the draft DCO which includes revisions to make provision for the Additional Land.
A copy of the Funding Statement.
| Location | Opening Times |
| Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich, NR2 1AW | Mon-Fri: 10am-7pm, Sat: 9am-5pm |
| North Norfolk District Council, Council Offices, Holt Road, Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 9EN | Mon, Tues and Thurs: 8:30am-5pm, Wed: 10am-5pm, Fri: 8:30am-4:30pm |
Copies of the documents are also available online through the Planning Inspectorate’s website at: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/hornsea-project-three-offshore-wind-farm/.
An electronic or paper copy of the documents listed above may be requested from the Applicant by emailing HornseaProjectThree@orsted.co.uk, writing to Hornsea Project Three Offshore Wind Farm, c/o Emily Woolfenden Ørsted 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG or by telephone 07881943166. Subject to reasonable requests these documents will be provided free of charge.
A paper copy of the full suite of Application documents can be obtained for a charge of £1500.00. Paper copies of other Application documents are also available on request and a charge may apply. On request, a USB containing electronic copies of all the Application documents will be provided free of charge.
Making representations about the Proposed Compulsory Acquisition of the Additional Land
Any representations (giving notice of any interest in or objection to the Proposed Provision) must be made on the Planning Inspectorate’s Registration and Relevant Representation Form which can be accessed and completed online by following the instructions at the relevant link: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/hornsea-project-three-offshore-wind-farm/
If you would like to request a hard copy of the Planning Inspectorate’s Registration and Relevant Representation Form, please telephone 0303 444 5000. Completed forms should be sent to The Planning Inspectorate, National Infrastructure Directorate, Temple Quay House, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN. The Planning Inspectorate reference for the Application (EN010080) should be quoted in any correspondence.
The Planning Inspectorate’s Advice Notice 8.2: How to register to participate in an Examination (December 2016), provides further guidance on how to register and make a relevant representation and can be accessed via the following link: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Advice-note-8-2v3.pdf
Please note that representations must be received by the Planning Inspectorate by 11.59pm on 28 February 2019.
