English Channel 700MW Windfarm Project

Plans for a giant wind farm off the coast near Brighton advance as developer E.ON submits initial planning application to the Government.

The energy giant, which was granted the rights to the Hastings Round 3 offshore wind development zone back in 2010, withdrew its first application for a development consent order (DCO) late last year after it emerged it had failed to consult neighbouring councils in Sevenoaks and Surrey, reports REVE.

However, the company yesterday confirmed the oversight has been corrected and it has now resubmitted its DCO application to the Planning Inspectorate for the proposed 700MW Rampion Offshore Wind Farm Project.

The news represents another step forward for the fleet of giant offshore wind projects, which are expected to come online during the second half of the decade.

The Rampion project represents one of the smaller Round 3 developments, but should still result in 700MW of capacity delivering up to 2,100GWh of electricity each year – enough for an estimated 450,000 homes.

The development zone covers 167 square kilometres and lies between 13km and 23km off the Sussex coast in waters that are between 19 and 50 metres deep.

Source: REVE