Other Permit Awarded

An activity-specific regulatory permit was granted for the MachairWind offshore wind project in the form of a European Protected Species (EPS) licence covering geophysical survey activities within the MachairWind Windfarm Development Area. The licence is recorded on the Marine Scotland data portal as “European Protected Species Licence – Geophysical Surveys – MachairWind Windfarm Development Area - 00011052”, with the document type explicitly noted as an EPS licence and the data type categorised under marine licence documentation. The licence document was submitted at the “Licence” stage, with a recorded submission date of Wednesday, 26 March 2025, and is classified as an application of type “Other,” indicating that it sits alongside, but distinct from, project-wide marine licence or planning consent processes. The presence of the EPS licence document for MachairWind, with a specific reference number (00011052) and a concrete submission date, indicates that the competent authority has issued the licence required to authorise the planned geophysical survey activities in the designated wind farm development area. The page shows that the record was last modified on 28 March 2025, confirming that this is a recently processed regulatory instrument. Securing this EPS licence is a necessary regulatory step for undertaking geophysical surveys in an area where European Protected Species protections apply, ensuring survey works proceed under defined conditions and in compliance with relevant conservation legislation.