The Scottish government has called-in Inch Cape Offshore Limited’s application for planning permission in principle for onshore components of the wind farm development.
The proposal and supporting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which were submitted to East Lothian Council in early March, will now be assessed by planning ministers before a decision on whether permission is granted is confirmed.
“As the Inch Cape Offshore Wind project is of national significance, our new application for planning permission in principle has been ‘called-in’ by the Scottish Government. This is not uncommon for a project with such national economic and environmental importance. We hope to continue to engage with the local community and East Lothian Council, to listen to any feedback and concerns they may have, as they contribute to the decision-making process in coming months,” Ian Johnson , ICOL Project Manager, said.
“If successful, the project will help achieve the Scottish Government’s goals to minimise our reliance on carbon energy but also act as a positive catalyst in the local area as it continues to go through a period of change following the closure of the power station. By working with the local community and relevant stakeholders we believe we can ensure these goals and benefits are realised.”
The proposed Inch Cape offshore wind farm is located in the North Sea around 15 kilometres off the Angus coastline. The site covers an area of approximately 150 km2 and will feature up to 72 turbines .
The 784MW project is currently under development and is expected to enter construction in 2020.
ICOL is 100% owned by Red Rock Power, an Edinburgh-based company which is in turn owned by China’s SDIC Power Holdings.