As the capacity of White Cross is up to 100 MW, in terms of planning consent – the project is not subject to the Planning Act 2008 under which offshore windfarms are often granted consent. Instead, the project team has followed a split consenting regime consisting of both an onshore and offshore application.
Consent for the onshore infrastructure has been granted via a planning application to North Devon Council as the Local Planning Authority under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
A separate marine licence for the offshore elements of the project has been granted by the Marine Management Organisation, allowing the developers to carry out regulated activity under the Marine and Coastal Act 2009 and the Electricity Act 1989, following an environmental impact assessment conducted in line with the Marine Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2007.
A range of studies and surveys have been conducted to inform project design and application process. Consultation with the public and key stakeholders has also informed the project and fed into the consenting process.
During the pre-consent phase of the project, we consulted widely with local communities, seeking feedback and answering community questions via in person events, via our website, and through direct engagement with key stakeholders.
North Devon Council and the Marine Management Organisation also consulted on the information submitted at a number of stages.
We are grateful to everyone who engaged with the project via the various phases of consultation, including statutory and non-statutory stakeholders and local residents.
By scrutinising our proposals, local people helped to ensure the project is a better version of itself. We identified ways to reduce the amount of space the project will require in Saunton Sands car park, produced additional environmental surveys to help us ensure we are limiting the impacts of the project, given clear undertakings that access to the beach will be maintained at all times, and limiting the period during which beach construction works will take place.
To read the environmental information on which consultation took place, visit our document library, here you will also find a full copy of the Environmental Statement and associated information for both project applications.
Onshore planning application
The onshore planning application incorporates all the onshore aspects of the project from mean low water springs (low tide), along the onshore cable route to the East Yelland Substation where the project will connect to the electricity grid.
The planning application for the onshore elements of the project has been submitted to North Devon Council Local Planning Authority under application number 77576. To view the application on the planning portal, click here.
Read the Non-Technical Summary of our onshore application which provides a concise and easy to understand overview of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and the findings of the onshore EIA for the White Cross project.
To read the Non-Technical Summary of our onshore application, as well as to view all other environmental statement documents submitted to North Devon Council Local Planning Authority, use the drop down buttons below, or visit our Document library.
ONSHORE DOCUMENTS
ADDITIONAL PROJECT INFORMATION
Offshore application
The offshore planning application incorporates all the offshore aspects of the project from the windfarm array – 52.5km offshore, along the offshore cable route to mean high water springs (high tide). The offshore application covers the marine licences and Electricity Act Section 36 requirements. It has been submitted to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) as the offshore regulator.
Read the Non-Technical Summary of our offshore application which provides a concise and easy to understand overview of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and the findings of the offshore EIA for the White Cross project.
To read the Non Technical Summary, as well as to view all other environmental statement documents submitted to the MMO, use the dropdown button below.
To view and comment on the offshore consent application on the marine licence applications public register, please click here. The MMO case reference number for the White Cross application is MLA/2023/00113. See Marine license applications and requests section.
OFFSHORE DOCUMENT
Environmental Statement Addendum – Further Environmental Information
Following formal consultation in 2023 North Devon Council requested that further environmental information be submitted in relation to the White Cross Offshore Windfarm application. This information will provide the additional detail required by North Devon Council to enable a decision to be made on the application.
The Environmental Statement Addendum has been submitted to both North Devon Council Local Planning Authority under application number 77576 and the Marine Management Organisation under case reference MLA/2023/00113. To view and comment on the information please follow the respective links.
Planning application: 77576 – Council Services (northdevon.gov.uk)
Search public register records – MCMS (marinemanagement.org.uk) and search MLA/2023/00113
You can also access the Environmental Statement Addendum and the associated appendices and management plans, as well as view all other environmental statement documents previously submitted, using the drop down buttons below, or visiting our Document library.
Environmental Statement Addendum and Associated Documentation
