SSE Renewables has announced that the North Falls offshore wind farm’s development consent order (DCO) application has been accepted for examination by the UK’s Planning Inspectorate.
North Falls offshore wind farm is a joint venture between RWE Offshore Wind and SSE Renewables.
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The acceptance of North Falls’ DCO application follows its submission in July 2024 and ushers the project into the crucial pre-examination phase.
The examination process is set to commence in early 2025.
North Falls represents a proposed extension to the Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm’s southern array, currently a 504MW capacity joint venture operated by SSE on behalf of both partners.
The site for North Falls spans 90km². It will have a generating capacity of 1GW.
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By GlobalDataThe project’s initial proposal included two offshore array areas totalling 150km².
But following the 2023 statutory consultation, North Falls decided to eliminate the northern offshore array area and reduce the southern array’s size.
The development of North Falls is poised to support the UK government’s target of achieving up to 50GW offshore wind capacity by 2030.
This is expected to significantly contribute to the UK’s decarbonisation targets and to broader global efforts to combat climate change.
The examination phase is anticipated to last up to six months, after which the Examining Authority will have three months to present their recommendations to the Secretary of State.
The final decision regarding the consent for development will be made by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero within an additional three-month period.
North Falls project director Andy Paine stated: “North Falls is set to play a key role in the UK’s net zero ambitions, as well as unlocking opportunities to create jobs and boost the supply chain in the local area.
“We’re pleased to have reached this major milestone and look forward to the examination phase beginning in early 2025.
“We would like to thank those who have engaged and shared feedback with the project. Engagement with local communities, stakeholders and businesses over the last six years, alongside close co-ordination with the proposed Five Estuaries offshore wind farm, has informed project development and the application we submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.”
