The UK government plans to present a package of measures to accelerate permitting of offshore wind farms – as long as appropriate environmental protections are in place.
It plans to create a ‘marine recovery fund’ and ‘implement strategic compensation’ in a forthcoming bill, according to a policy paper setting out proposals for future legislation that was published this week (23 February).
The government also aims to amend existing legislation on regulating infrastructure projects’ impacts on environmental habitats to specifically cover offshore wind – though it is as-yet unclear what this impact might be.
It will work closely with stakeholders on the new offshore wind environment package, it stated.
Industry body RenewableUK welcomed the intent to create a dialogue between project developers and statutory bodies, and to accelerate permitting – with policy analyst Juliette Webb noting that current processes move at a “glacial pace”.
In recent years, the UK has previously paused permitting of large-scale offshore wind farms being developed by the likes of Ørsted and Vattenfall due to concerns about their impacts on wildlife and the environment.
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