London Array: battle for onshore substation continues

25 April 2007

Following the consent to build 270 offshore wind turbines off the Kent and Essex coasts, London Array
recently appealed against Swale Borough Council's decision to refuse planning permission for the
proposed onshore electricity substation at Cleve Hill. The public inquiry has now taken place to decide whether the council’s decision was correct. The inspector's report will be finalised by mid-July, after which the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Department of Trade and Industry will make a joint decision.

The consortium behind the project argues that the size of the wind farm necessitates a new onshore substation to be built at Cleve Hill, on the North Kent Coast, and undersea cables will need to be laid to connect the wind farm to the substation. From the substation, the electricity would be fed into the existing national grid's 400kV transmission system. The consortium maintains that Cleve Hill remains the only location that minimises environmental concerns while meeting the necessary technical criteria for such a critical element of the project.

The construction of London Array has significant potential to generate new employment and local business opportunities. Kent County Council (KCC) and Thanet District Council (TDC) are planning to invest £10 million to regenerate Ramsgate Port. Because of its size and scale London Array could act as a catalyst that would trigger this regeneration, with the development of Ramsgate as a hub for the offshore wind industry in the South East. The South-East has the ability to provide a strong long-term base to service the offshore wind power industry in the Thames Estuary that will be worth over £3 billion over the next 10 years.

In order to tackle climate change, it is vital that large-scale wind farms such as the London Array get the go-ahead and are built as quickly as possible. It is crucial to get an early decision from the Government on London Array's appeal if this major project - which is key to Government chances of meeting its renewable energy targets - is to remain on target. Wind power is the world's fastest-growing energy source and offshore wind has the potential to deliver on a scale that cannot presently be matched by other technologies.