Other Permit Submitted

On 26 March 2025, Marine Scotland recorded the submission of two protected-species licence applications to support geophysical surveys within the MachairWind Windfarm Development Area. The applications comprise a European Protected Species (EPS) Licence for Geophysical Surveys – MachairWind Windfarm Development Area (reference 00011052) and a Basking Shark Licence for Geophysical Surveys – MachairWind Windfarm Development Area (reference 00011055). Both are listed on the MachairWind project page as licence applications of type “Other” with the same submission date, indicating a coordinated permitting step focused on managing potential impacts of survey activities on sensitive marine fauna. The Marine Scotland project entry shows these 2025 submissions alongside earlier EPS and Basking Shark licences associated with geophysical surveys for the MachairWind Offshore Windfarm northwest of Islay, which were submitted in April 2023. The newer applications are explicitly tied to the defined Windfarm Development Area, reflecting the project’s progression from initial offshore survey licensing towards more area-specific environmental regulation. Securing these protected-species licences is a prerequisite for undertaking the planned geophysical investigations, which will inform subsequent design and permitting stages. The March 2025 submission therefore marks a notable regulatory milestone in MachairWind’s early development, as the developer advances survey consents required to characterise the site while demonstrating compliance with Scottish marine wildlife protection requirements.