Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind submits consent application for 1.5 GW wind farm

Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind, a joint venture by Corio Generation, TotalEnergies and Gulf Energy Developments, has submitted a Development Consent Order (DCO) to the Planning Inspectorate of England. The application is for a 1.5 GW wind farm to be built 33 miles (54km) off the Lincolnshire coast. 

The application for consent, one of the first to be made from the projects awarded rights by The Crown Estate under leasing Round 4 in January last year, marks a major milestone in the life of the project and is supported by extensive planning and surveying work conducted over the last three years. Multiple rounds of consultation have in addition been held since November 2022, with 1,500 community members attending public information events. 

The DCO application includes consent requests for an offshore wind farm comprising up to 100 turbines, underground cables to carry the power from the landfall site close to Anderby Marsh and a new onshore substation at Surfleet Marsh. The project will connect into existing overhead lines in the Weston Marsh area. 

Following submission on 14 March 2024, the Planning Inspectorate will perform an initial assessment and then decide within 28 days if the application will be accepted for examination. 

Mark Giulianotti, Head of Europe at Corio Generation, said: “Today marks an important moment in the development of Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind farm, and is testament to the impressive work done to date by the project team and the extensive consultation they have undertaken with local communities. 

“Outer Dowsing is anticipated to generate enough energy to meet the electricity needs of 1.6 million homes - we are proud to be part of this important development in the southern North Sea, alongside our partners TotalEnergies and Gulf Energy Developments, and playing our part in the UK’s transition to clean, renewable and reliable energy.” 

Chris Jenner, Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind Development Director said: “Upon completion, Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind will be one of the UK’s biggest wind farms displacing the equivalent of nearly two million tonnes of CO2 every year by generating clean, renewable electricity. It is therefore critical we build our new renewable power generation in a way that minimises disruption and maximises benefit to the UK.  

“This application is the culmination of many studies, surveys, community meetings and consultations. We have taken on board feedback to design the project in the most environmentally sensitive way and look forward to the Planning Inspectorate’s assessment of our proposals.”  

If the DCO application is accepted by the Planning Inspectorate, the project will move to the examination stage. A panel of independent inspectors will examine the application in detail and make a recommendation to the Secretary of State as to whether the project should proceed. 

During the examination stage, members of the public can submit their own views on the project by registering for updates directly on the Planning Inspectorate web page for Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind: Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind (Generating Station) - Project Information

For more information about the project, visit www.outerdowsing.com 

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