By Al Rayner – White Cross project director
At a meeting of North Devon Council’s Planning Committee on Wednesday 7 May, councillors voted to approve the onshore planning application for the White Cross Offshore Windfarm.
The decision followed a report from North Devon Council’s Case Officer recommending approval of the planning application, with 10 councillors voting to accept the recommendation, two against and one abstention.
”We are delighted that North Devon councillors have voted to approve the onshore elements of the White Cross Offshore Windfarm.
We are grateful to everyone who has engaged with the project throughout the process. In response to feedback, we have adapted our plans to minimise environmental and social impacts.
The UK is already a leader in floating offshore wind technology, and this decision gives us a valuable opportunity to deliver the energy transition right here in North Devon, sparking the development of a specialised local supply chain and creating jobs whilst providing 135,000 homes with renewable energy. "
Al Rayner | White Cross project director
White Cross Offshore Windfarm Limited, a joint venture between Flotation Energy and Cobra, sought consent from North Devon Council and the Marine Management Organisation to construct and operate a 100MW floating offshore windfarm and for works to connect the windfarm to the grid, providing enough energy to power over 135,000 households.
The proposed windfarm, located 52km off the North Devon coast, will consist of up to eight state-of-the-art floating wind turbines and when operational, generate enough clean electricity to power around 135,000 households.
The application to the Marine Management Organisation seeking consent for the offshore elements of the project is at an advanced stage and with final determination expected shortly.
The offshore export cable(s) for the project will make landfall at Saunton Sands, before connecting to the onshore export cable(s).
The onshore export cable(s) will be completely buried underground for their entire length, and will travel approximately 8km to a new White Cross onshore substation which will accommodate the connection to the existing East Yelland substation. The cables will pass beneath Braunton Burrows and the Taw Estuary via trenchless technology, designed to avoid any surface disruption within the Braunton Burrows Special Area of Conservation (SAC) dune system and the Taw-Torridge Estuary SSSI.
The opportunity presented by floating offshore wind for the UK and specifically the South West of England is extensive and well documented. White Cross is a stepping stone project that is pivotal to the Crown Estate’s ambitions to scale-up and commercialise floating energy technologies in the Celtic Sea.
The project will play a key role in supporting the growth of a regional supply chain in the South West of England, whilst also creating new jobs and skills for local communities.
