Spiorad na Mara has submitted a planning consent application for the offshore elements of its proposed windfarm located 5-13km off the west coast of the Isle of Lewis.
The project partners Northland Power and ESB said the application has been lodged with the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate – Licensing Operations Team and covers turbines, foundations, array cables and export infrastructure.
They added that the offshore windfarm is expected to have a capacity of 900MW, capable of powering around 1.2 million Scottish homes and saving more than 1.7 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually if approved.
The submission follows several years of technical assessments, environmental surveys and public consultation, and is supported by an Environmental Impact Assessment Report outlining potential impacts and mitigation measures.
Spiorad na Mara is owned by Northland Power with a 75.5% stake and ESB with 24.5%, with Northland leading development of the project.
Martin Whyte, project director, said: “Submitting the planning application for the offshore elements of Spiorad na Mara is a major milestone for the project.
“We are sincerely grateful for the constructive input received from stakeholders and the local community, whose engagement has played a vital role in shaping such a comprehensive and informed application.”
He added: “Offshore wind is essential to the transition to a low-carbon energy system, and Spiorad na Mara has the potential to deliver transformational economic benefits – supporting jobs, communities, and long-term population retention – while generating clean, secure power from one of the world’s most abundant wind resources.”