An offshore wind farm in the Irish Sea is set to triple in size after planning permission was granted for an extension.
The UK Government has approved developer DONG Energy’s proposal to extend the 102-turbine Walney Array off the coast of Cumbria.
The project could add up to 207 turbines to the west of the site and generate enough electricity to power half a million homes in the UK.
Visible from the Isle of Man on a clear day, the existing Walney Array is around 30 miles away from the island at its nearest point.
The area approved for the extension could see turbines located 10 miles closer to the island and within five miles of the boundary that denotes Manx territorial waters.
It is also around five miles away from the area leased by DONG Energy for a wind farm within Manx waters. See page three for details.
Adjoining the current Walney Array, which began producing power in 2011, is west of Duddon Sands wind farm that was officially opened UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey last month.
Taken together, the three projects will create a 20-mile corridor of turbines that will stretch across the Irish Sea towards the Isle of Man.
The UK Planning Inspectorate’s chief executive Simon Ridley said: ‘The examining authority took full account of views from communities, particularly in the north west of England and the Isle of Man, who might be affected by this proposal, alongside national policy and evidence of the need for the project.’
In a statement, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company chief executive Mark Woodward said that the company was ‘not seriously concerned’ by the extension, describing the issues arising as ‘modest and manageable’.
He said: ‘The approval of the Walney Extension in isolation was not unexpected and should not cause delays for Isle of Man sea services.’