The examination of the Rampion 2 Development Consent Order (DCO) application begins Tuesday 6th February with the Preliminary Meeting and Open Floor Hearing in Brighton, followed by Issue Specific Hearings on environmental
matters from 7th – 9th February. Anyone can observe
the events either in person, livestream online, or watch a recording after the
event. However, you must register in advance if you wish to participate.
For further information, please visithttps://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/rampion-2. The examination is expected to close on 6h August 2024.
The following representations from Washington Parish Council can be viewed at the end of this page and will be taken into consideration in the examination:
- Washington Parish Council's comments to be taken into consideration at the Preliminary Meeting on 6th February 2024
- Washington Parish Council's registration to be an Interested Party in the examination (Submitted September 2023)
- Washington Recreation Ground Charity's registration to be in an Interested Party in the examination (Submitted September 2023)
- Washington Parish Council's submitted comments on the Rampion 2 Second Statutory Consultation 2022
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Full details of the Planning Inspectorate's Notice of Preliminary Meeting, Issue Specific and Open Floor Hearings is below:
Rampion
Extension Development Limited
PLANNING
INSPECTORATE REFERENCE NUMBER: EN010117
Rule 13(6) Infrastructure Planning
(Examination Procedure) Rules 2010
Notice of Preliminary Meeting, Issue Specific
and Open Floor Hearings
Notice
is hereby given that, at the dates, times and locations set out below, the
following Hearings will be held by the Planning Inspectorate (on behalf of the
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero) in respect of the
application by Rampion Extension Development Limited of Windmill Hill Business
Park, Whitehill Way, Swindon SN56PB (“the Applicant”) for a Development Consent
Order pursuant to the Planning Act 2008. The Application (Reference No. EN010117) was submitted
by the Applicant to the Secretary of State c/o the Planning Inspectorate under
sections 14(1) and 15(3) of the Planning Act 2008 on 10 August 2023 and was
accepted on 7 September 2023 (“the Application”).
Hearing
|
Date
|
Time
|
Venue
|
Preliminary
Meeting
|
Tuesday
6 February 2024
|
Seating
available at venue from 9:30am
Virtual
Arrangements conference from 9:30am
Preliminary
Meeting starts 10:00am
|
Double
Tree by Hilton Brighton Metropole
Kings
Road, Brighton, BN1 2FU
|
Open
Floor Hearing 1
|
Tuesday 6 February 2024
|
Seating
available at venue from 2:00pm
Virtual
Arrangements conference from 2:00pm
Hearing
starts 2:30pm
|
Double
Tree by Hilton Brighton Metropole
Kings
Road, Brighton, BN1 2FU
|
Issue
Specific Hearing 1
On
Environmental Matters
|
Wednesday
7 February 2024
|
Seating
available at venue from 9:00am
Virtual
Arrangements conference from 9:00am
Hearing
starts 9:30am
|
Double
Tree by Hilton Brighton Metropole
Kings
Road, Brighton, BN1 2FU
|
Issue
Specific Hearing 1
On
Environmental Matters
(continued
if not completed on Wednesday 7 February)
|
Thursday
8 February 2024
|
Seating
available at venue from 9:00am
Virtual
Arrangements conference from 9:00am
Hearing
starts 9:30am
|
Double
Tree by Hilton Brighton Metropole
Kings
Road, Brighton, BN1 2FU
|
Issue
Specific Hearing 1
On
Environmental Matters
(continued
if not completed on Thursday 8 February)
|
Friday
9 February 2024
AM
only
|
Seating
available at venue from 9:00am
Virtual
Arrangements conference from 9:00am
Hearing
starts 9:30am
|
Double
Tree by Hilton Brighton Metropole
Kings
Road, Brighton, BN1 2FU
|
The hearings will be held
as virtual events using Microsoft Teams, and it will be
possible to join them via any standard internet browser or alternatively by
telephone dial-in. Full instructions on
how to join online or by telephone will be provided in advance to those who
have pre-registered. If you require assistance with registering your
attendance, please contact the Case Team atRampion2@planninginspectorate.gov.uk, or by calling 0303 444 5000.
The Pre-Examination
Procedural Deadline and subsequent Deadlines are set out in the Draft Examination
Timetable, available to view in the Rule 6 Letter on the project page of the Infrastructure
Planning website infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/rampion-2.
Any
further hearings will be publicised as required by the Examining Authority and
by the Infrastructure Planning (Examination Procedure) Rules 2010.
Summary of the Project:
The Applicant is seeking development consent for an offshore generating
station adjacent to and forming an extension to the existing Rampion Offshore
Wind Farm, at the location approximately 13km south of the Sussex coast located
to the west and south of the existing Rampion Offshore Windfarm, and all
infrastructure required to transmit the power generated to the Bolney National
Grid substation, which will require to be extended (the “Proposed
Development”). The offshore generating station is located in an area
approximately 196km2. The onshore cable corridor is approximately 38.8km long
from the landfall at Climping, West Sussex to a new substation at Oakendene,
2km east of Cowfold, West Sussex and then to the existing Bolney National Grid
Substation, at Twineham, Mid Sussex. The onshore elements of the Proposed
Development fall within the administrative boundaries of the following host
authorities:
· Arun District Council;
· Horsham District Council;
· Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC);
· South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA); and
· West Sussex County Council (WSCC).
In summary the Proposed Development includes:
· an
offshore generating station with an electrical export capacity of in excess of
100MW comprising up to 90 wind turbines and array cables, in an area
approximately 196km2, located approximately 13km south of the Sussex coast
located to the west and south of the existing Rampion Offshore Windfarm
· up to three offshore substations
· cables between the wind turbine generators (“WTG”), between the WTGs and
the offshore substations, and between the offshore substations themselves and
the landfall location at Climping, West Sussex
· an underground cable connection between the landfall, and a satellite
substation known as Oakendene, and then onwards to connect into the existing
National Grid substation at Bolney, together with an extension to that existing
substation.
The Proposed
Development comprises a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (“NSIP”)
pursuant to sections 14(1)(a) and 15(3) of the 2008 Act as an offshore
generating station having a capacity of more than 100MW. Pursuant to section 31
of the 2008 Act a DCO is required to authorise an NSIP.
The Proposed
Development also includes associated development linked to the NSIP which can
be authorised by a DCO pursuant to section 115 of the 2008 Act.
The
Development Consent Order would
authorise the compulsory acquisition of land, interests in land and rights over
land, and the powers to use land permanently and temporarily.
A map
showing the location of the proposed location of the project forms part of the
Application and can be viewed at the following link:infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/rampion-2.
Copies
of Application Documents
The Application form and the
accompanying documents, plans, maps and Environmental Statement (ES) and Non-Technical
Summary (NTS) for the project can be viewed and downloaded free of charge
online on the Rampion 2 project page of the Infrastructure Planning website
under the documents tab:infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/rampion-2. The
documents will be available on the website throughout the examination period.Further information can also be obtained
from the Applicant using the following contact details:
·
Email:rampion2@rwe.com
·
Freephone:
0800 2800 886
·
Write:
Rampion 2 Wind Farm, RWE, Windmill Hill Business Park, Whitehill Way, Swindon,
Wiltshire, SN5 6PB