Windfarm cable plan accepted despite concerns

Plans to lay cables connecting two offshore windfarms to substations in Lancashire have met opposition

Plans to lay miles of cable linking two windfarms to the National Grid have been accepted by the Planning Inspectorate despite a campaign against them.

The proposal involves undersea cables landing near Blackpool Airport and running underground to two substations between Kirkham and Newton, before continuing beneath the River Ribble to Penwortham.

Some residents and businesses are against the plan and Fylde Council has also voiced concerns due to the potential visual and agricultural impact and disturbance during construction.

BP, which is involved in the project, said it wanted an "open dialogue" with communities.

The Planning Inspectorate announced it had accepted an application for a Development Consent Order to connect the Irish Sea wind farms to the grid at the Penwortham Substation near Preston.

The scheme will now go to the next stage of the planning process.

Protest group, Against the Wind Farm Onshore Cable and Substation Plans across the Fylde, claims the scheme would scar the land and cause extreme disruption.

'Blinkered approach'

Fylde Council had made representations to the Planning Inspectorate expressing concern that the pre-application consultation was inadequate as it did not appear to include notification of all interested parties.

The council also raised concerns that the level of detail available at the consultation stage was insufficient.

Councillor Karen Buckley, leader of the council, said the authority had asked for the plans to be refined.

"The fact that this opportunity has been missed demonstrates a blinkered approach that ignores the local geography of Fylde and risks the implementation of a scheme that threatens homes and local livelihoods that support our community," she said.

Fylde Council said it objected to the proposed connection for reasons including the potential impact on agricultural land, the visual impact of the large substations required and the widespread disturbance during construction.

The scheme is known as the Morgan and Morecambe Offshore Wind Farms: Transmission Assets project and is a joint project between BP, EnBW Energie Baden-Wurttemberg AG, Cobra and Flotation Energy.

BP said both projects had the combined potential to generate up to 2GW.

A spokesman added: "Having an open dialogue with communities is critical as the project progresses to refine its proposals and we greatly value the feedback from local residents and stakeholders."