The company behind a proposed offshore wind farm that could be connected to the energy network at Weston Marsh has announced a potential new route for its cable.
Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind Farm, which is looking to build a 1.5GW wind farm in the North Sea, has announced that as a result of its recent public consultation it is now considering a potential alternative to a section of the onshore cable route option to Weston Marsh.
The project, which will provide enough electricity to power 1.6 million homes, is proposing to bring a cable ashore south of Anderby Creek.
From the landfall, the cables would continue underground to one of two different connection points currently proposed by National Grid – a connection to the existing overhead line circuits at Weston Marsh or to a proposed new National Grid substation east of Alford.
Once the grid connection point is confirmed, one of these routes is to be dropped.
On the southern route to the Weston Marsh connection option, Outer Dowsing is now also looking at an alternative cable route west of the A52 between Wainfleet All Saints and Butterwick.
Chris Jenner, development manager for the project, said: “As part of the feedback received during the phase one consultation, we have been made aware of various engineering and environmental considerations potentially affecting the central section of the proposed cable corridor between Wainfleet All Saints and Butterwick.
“In combination with guidance from our environmental and engineering teams along with our site surveys and meetings, we are now also proposing and consulting on a potential alternative deviation to the central section of the onshore cable route option to Weston Marsh.
“The project will be hosting some additional Project Information Days at Wainfleet on February 21 and Old Leake on February 24 to seek stakeholder views on this potential alternative.
“If the Weston Marsh grid connection option is progressed, the project will use this feedback to inform the route selection that would be taken forward to consent application at the end of 2023.”
Mr Jenner added that landowners affected by this possible alternative route proposal have already been contacted by their land agents, Dalcour MacLaren. Should any residents have any concerns, they can email Outer Dowsing at [email protected], write to them free of charge at FREEPOST ODOW or call free of charge on 0808 1752970.
The official notice is on page 25 of this week’s paper which can be read here.
