North Devon Council has approved the onshore consent application for Flotation Energy and Cobra’s 100MW White Cross floating wind farm off south-west England.
The application submitted in August 2023 received 10 votes for, two against and one abstention at yesterday’s (7 May) meeting of the council’s planning committee at Barnstaple Rugby Club.
The approval is subject to conditions including construction not being permitted outside daylight hours or on Sundays or bank holidays. Drilling activities will also be restricted to April-October.
A Section 106 agreement must also be negotiated on developer contributions to local communities and the environment.
The permit decision followed a consultation earlier this year after NDC requested additional environment information for the seven-turbine scheme that has proved controversial for its landfall site close to the popular Saunton Sands beach and cable route to the project’s grid connection at East Yelland substation.
Offshore elements of the scheme are subject to separate approvals which have yet to be granted by the Marine Management Organisation.
White Cross project director Al Rayner said: “We are delighted that North Devon councillors have voted to approve the onshore elements of the wind farm.
“We are grateful to everyone who has engaged with the project throughout the process. In response to the feedback, we have adapted our plans to minimise environmental and social impacts.
“The UK is already a leader in floating offshore wind technology and this decision gives us a valuable opportunity to deliver the energy transition right here in North Devon, sparking the development of a specialised local supply chain and creating jobs within while providing 135,000 homes with renewable energy.”