Planning Consent Awarded

On 18 December 2006, the UK Secretary of State for Trade and Industry issued the primary offshore planning consent for the London Array offshore wind farm under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. In a Written Ministerial Statement recorded in Hansard, the Secretary of State confirmed that consents for both the Thanet and London Array offshore wind farms had been granted that day, authorising their construction and operation. The consent for London Array was awarded to London Array Ltd, a consortium comprising Shell Wind Energy, E.ON Renewables UK and Core Energy (itself including Farm Energy and DONG), for a project described as having the potential to generate around 1 GW of green electricity, which at the time would make it the largest wind farm in the world.[1] In reaching this decision, the Secretary of State noted that a range of environmental and other representations had been considered, alongside advice from multiple stakeholders. The conclusion was that potential impacts would either be of low significance or could be mitigated or avoided through appropriate consent conditions and related licences under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. The project’s Ecological Mitigation and Management Plan (EMMP) later recorded that these primary offshore consents, principally the Section 36 consent and FEPA licence, were issued in December 2006 and already embedded the key offshore ecological mitigation measures for species such as the red-throated diver.[3] London Array’s official project history summarises this milestone by noting that planning consent for the offshore wind farm was granted in 2006, marking the transition from early development and environmental studies to consented status.[2] This regulatory approval provided the legal foundation for subsequent onshore and offshore construction activities, including the later build-out of the Cleve Hill onshore substation from 2009 and the start of offshore construction in 2011, ultimately enabling energisation and full build-out of the scheme.[2]