Navitus Bay plans cut again

UK: The developer of the proposed Navitus Bay wind farm off England's south coast has scaled back plans for a second time following objections to its visual impact.

by Patrick Smith 6 February 2014

The previous proposed development area which has now been reduced by 24 turbines

Under the new plans, the project will feature 194 turbines, cut from the previously proposed 218.

Using a 5MW turbine – as suggested by the developer - this would mean the planned capacity of 1.1GW would be cut to 970MW.

The developer, a joint venture between EDF and Eneco Wind, said the decision to cut the project size was in response to public feedback on the visibility of the turbines from shore.

The new plan removes the "top triangle" of the development area, which means the closest turbines will be 3.8km further away from the coast.

This latest change follows a revision in 2012, which saw the maximum number of turbines cut by a third - from 333 to 218. This was also to move the turbines further from shore.

The final public consultation was held in January and the developer plans to submit its consenting application to the Government in the second quarter of 2014. A decision from the secretary of state is expected in 2015.

"As we move towards submitting our final application for planning permission, we believe that this latest boundary change is a positive step, ensuring that the project reflects local views," said Mike Unsworth, project director.