WIREDGOV

The decision supports the recommendation made by the Planning Inspectorate and follows an examination process which met all the statutory timescales laid down in The Planning Act 2008 (as amended by The Localism Act 2011).

The application was submitted for consideration on 10 April 2014 and accepted for examination on 8 May 2014. It is the 43rd project to be decided under the Planning Act 2008 regime and is the 11th offshore wind farm application examined by the Planning Inspectorate.

Following a six month examination during which the public, statutory consultees and interested parties were given the opportunity to give evidence to the Examining Authority, a recommendation was made to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on 11 June 2015.

The Planning Inspectorate’s Chief Executive, Simon Ridley, said:

“Alongside national policy and evidence of the need for the project, the views and comments from communities, particularly those near the South East coast of England who might be affected by this proposal, greatly assisted the Examining Authority in considering the overall impacts of the project.”

The decision, the recommendation made by the Examining Authority to the Secretary of State and the evidence considered by the Examining Authority in reaching its recommendation is publicly available on the National Infrastructure Planning website

Journalists wanting further information should contact the Planning Inspectorate Press Office, on: 0303 444 5004 or 0303 444 5005 or email: pressoffice@pins.gsi.gov.uk

Notes to editors:

The Planning Inspectorate, National Infrastructure Programme of Projects details the proposals which are anticipated to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate as applications in the coming months.