Public Notice: Vattenfall – The Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order

VATTENFALL

NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER BY THE PLANNING INSPECTORATE UNDER SECTION 56 OF THE PLANNING ACT 2008

THE NORFOLK VANGUARD OFFSHORE WIND FARM ORDER (Application Reference EN010079)

Regulation 9 Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 Regulation 16 of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017

Notice is hereby given that the Planning Inspectorate (on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) has accepted an application made by Norfolk Vanguard Limited (the Applicant) of 1st Floor, 1 Tudor Street, London, EC4Y OAH for a Development Consent Order under the Planning Act 2008 (the Application). The Application was made on 26 June 2018 and accepted for examination on 24 July 2018 (Reference: EN010079).

Summary of the Project

The Application relates to the construction and operation of an offshore wind farm within the former East Anglia Zone of the North Sea (the Project). The proposed wind farm is approximately 47km from the coast of Norfolk at its closest point to land and would cover a total area of up to 592km². It will connect to the National Grid via underground cables to the existing substation at Necton, Norfolk.

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 the Project 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.

1. The Development Consent Order would, amongst other things, authorise:Up to 200 offshore wind turbine generators and associated foundations, with an export capacity of up to 1,800 MW;
2. Up to two accommodation platforms and associated foundations;
3. Up to two meteorological masts and associated foundations;
4. Up to two LIDAR measurement buoys and up to two wave measurement buoys;
5. Up to two offshore electr ical platforms and associated foundations;
6. Subsea array cables and fibre optic cables, including offshore cable crossings, between the wind turbine generators and offshore electrical platforms;
7. Up to four subsea export cables and fibre optic cables to transmit electricity from the offshore electrical platforms to shore;
8. Scour protection around foundations and on array cables and export cables as required;
9. Landfall at Happisburgh South with up to two transition jointing pits to join the offshore and onshore cables;
10. Onshore transmission works consisting of up to four cables to be laid in ducts and up to four additional cable ducts for the Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm, and associated fibre opti c cables laid underground within cable ducts, running from landfall at Happisburgh South to the onshore project substation;
11. An onshore project substation to the east of the existing National Grid substation at Necton, Norfolk, to connect the onshore transmission works to the National Grid substation, together with surface water management, bunding, embankments,and boundary treatments at the onshore project substation site;
12. Up to 12 400kV underground interface cables between the onshore project substation and the existing Necton National Grid Substation, and an extension to the Necton National Grid substation;
13. Modification of the existing overhead line network in the vicinity of the existing Necton National Grid substation including the removal of one existing pylon and construct ion of two new permanent pylons and the installation of conductors, insulators, and fittings on the pylons;
14. Permanent access connecting the A47 to the onshore project substation and the existing Necton National Grid substation;
15. Temporary construction areas, working sites and mobilisation areas;
16. Access roads in connection with the cable route and onshore project substation and the existing Necton National Grid substation;
17. Jointing pits, manholes, kiosks, marker posts, link boxes and other works associated with laying ducts and/or cables and fibre optic cables and/or pulling cables through cable ducts;
18. The permanent and/or temporary compulsory acquisition (if required) of land and/or rights for the proposed Project;
19. Overriding of easements and other rights over or affecting land for the proposed Project;
20. The application and/or disapplication of legislation relevant to the proposed Project including inter alia legislation relating to compulsory purchase; and
21. Such ancillary, incidental and consequential provisions, permits or consents as are necessary and/or convenient.

Environmental Impact Assessment Development and Deposit Locations

The proposed works are environmental impact assessment (EIA) development for the purposes of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 and accordingly an Environmental Statement accompanied the Application.

A hard copy of the Application form and accompanying plans, maps and other application documents may be inspected free of charge from 3 August 2018 until at least 16 September 2018 at the following locations and during the hours set out below:

A copy of the Environmental Impact Assessment Non-Technical Summary (NTS) as well as the full application is available on USBs free of charge at the following locations from 3 August 2018 until at least 16 September 2018 . All of these locations have computers on site for individuals to view the application and/or provision is made for interested parties to sign for a USB to take away to review at their convenience.

* The opening times of the locations listed are at the discretion of those in control of the building and could vary to the times set out in this notice. The organisations and locations providing access to documentation as part of this consultation are not in any way affiliated with the Project or the Applicant and are an independent and neutral party to the application process.

Copies of the documents are also available online to view through the Planning Inspectorate’s website at https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/norfolk-vanguard/ Paper copies can be provided on request from www.vattenfall.co.uk/norfolkvanguard or from the Applicant at the address above for a charge of £7,500 for the full suite of documents. USB device copies can be provided free of charge and are available on request.

Any responses to, or other representations in respect of, the Project must be made on a Registered and Relevant Representation Form which can be completed online at: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/norfolk-vanguard/ or obtained from the Planning Inspect orate by telephoning 0303 444 5000.

Responses should be sent to the Planning Inspectorate (National Infrastructure Directorate), Temple Quay House, Temple Quay, Bristol, BSl 6PN. The Planning Inspectorate reference for the Project should be quoted in any correspondence, which is EN010079.

The Planning Inspectorate’s Advice Notice 8.2: How to register to participate in on 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

If you are not an affected landowner, please note that if you want to remain informed of the examination process and entitled to make representations, you must fill in a Registration and Relevant Representation Form to register as an interested party even if you do not wish to make a substantive representation at this point.

Any representation or response must be received by the Planning Inspectorate by 16 September 2018

Please be aware that the Planning Inspectorate is required by law to make the information that you provide in any representation publicly available. Details published on Planning Inspectorate’s website will be restricted to your name and the text of your representation. However, any copies made available for inspection at public locations will contain your contact details

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