NOTIFICATION OF OPEN FLOOR HEARING, ISSUE SPECIFIC HEARINGS AND COMPULSORY ACQUISITION HEARING THE EAST ANGLIA ONE NORTH OFFSHORE WINDFARM DEVELOPMENT

NOTIFICATION OF OPEN FLOOR HEARING, ISSUE SPECIFIC HEARINGS AND COMPULSORY ACQUISITION HEARING
THE EAST ANGLIA ONE NORTH OFFSHORE WINDFARM DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER (APPLICATION REFERENCE EN010077)
SECTIONS 91, 92, 93 AND 94 PLANNING ACT 2008
RULE 13(6) INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (EXAMINATION PROCEDURE) RULES 2010
REGULATIONS 14, 15 AND 16 INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (COMPULSORY ACQUISITION) REGULATIONS 2010

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 Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) for the examination of the application made by East Anglia ONE North Limited (the Applicant) of 3rd Floor, 1 Tudor Street, London EC4Y 0AH for a Development Consent Order under sections 14, 15, 16 and 37 of the Planning Act 2008 (the Application). The Application was made on 25 October 2019 and accepted for examination on 22 November 2019. In light of the current public health situation surrounding COVID-19, the below Open Floor Hearing, Issue Specific Hearings and Compulsory Acquisition Hearing will be virtual and held as indicated below.

*The Planning Inspectorate will provide joining details in due course. Interested parties should check the National Infrastructure Planning website and register accordingly prior to the above mentioned hearings. Please refer to the following link for updates and instruction on this process:  https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/east-anglia-one-north-offshore-windfarm/ 
RESERVED HEARING DATES
The Planning Inspectorate intends to cover all necessary matters in the hearings as set out above. However, notification is also made of further Open Floor Hearing, Issue Specific Hearings and Compulsory Acquisition Hearing if the above hearings are disrupted by technical issues.

*The Planning Inspectorate will provide joining details in due course. Interested parties should check the National Infrastructure Planning website and register accordingly prior to the above mentioned hearings. Please refer to the following link for updates and instruction on this process:  https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/east-anglia-one-north-offshore-windfarm/ 
Notice of any further hearings will be publicised as appropriate.

SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
The Application is for development consent for the construction and operation of the East Anglia ONE North Offshore Windfarm (East Anglia ONE North). The offshore windfarm would be located in the southern North Sea approximately 36 km from the Suffolk coast at its nearest point and would occupy an area of up to 203 km². The landfall connection works will be located north of Thorpeness in Suffolk, and the onshore substation and overhead line realignment works will be located in the vicinity of Grove Wood, Friston.
Development consent is required to the extent that the development is or forms part of a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). The project consists of two linked NSIPs, namely (i) an offshore generating station; and (ii) overhead line realignment works, together with associated development.  As the proposed offshore generating station is expected to have a capacity of over 100 MW, it is an NSIP for the purposes of section 14(1)(a) and 15(3) of the 2008 Act. Pursuant to sections 14(1)(b) and 16 of the 2008 Act, the installation of an electric line above ground in England is an NSIP unless it falls within certain exclusions. It is not anticipated that any of the exclusions would apply to the overhead line realignment works, and as such these works form a second NSIP. It is for these reasons that the project falls within the remit of the Secretary of State. 

The Development Consent Order would, amongst other things, authorise: 
1.    Up to 67 offshore wind turbines and their foundations; 
2.    Up to one offshore meteorological mast and its foundations; 
3.    Subsea cables connecting the wind turbines and the offshore platforms;
4.    Up to one offshore construction, operation and maintenance platform and its foundations; 
5.    Up to four offshore electrical platforms and their foundations; 
6.    A network of subsea platform link cables;
7.    Up to two offshore subsea export cables to transmit electricity from the offshore electrical platforms to landfall located north of Thorpeness in Suffolk; 
8.    Landfall connection works north of Thorpeness in Suffolk;
9.    Onshore cables commencing at landfall and running to the onshore substation in the vicinity of Grove Wood, Friston; 
10.    A new onshore substation in the vicinity of Grove Wood, Friston;
11.    Overhead line realignment works in proximity to Grove Wood, Friston including permanent realignment of a short section of the northern and southern overhead line circuits including the reconstruction and/or relocation of up to two pylons and construction of up to one additional pylon in order to realign the northern overhead lines and the reconstruction and/or relocation of up to one pylon in order to realign the southern overhead lines;
12.    Temporary diversion of the northern and southern overhead line circuits;
13.    Construction of up to three permanent cable sealing end compounds (one of which may include circuit breakers) and underground connections;
14.    A new National Grid substation; and
15.    Associated development comprising such other works as may be necessary or expedient for the purposes of or in connection with the relevant part of East Anglia ONE North.
APPLICATION FORM AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS
You are encouraged to view copies of the Application form and accompanying plans, maps and other application documents (the Application Documents) free of charge on the following project webpage on the National Infrastructure Planning website: 
https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/east-anglia-one-north-offshore-windfarm/
The Application Documents will also be available for inspection free of charge as set out below, but in light of the current public health situation surrounding COVID-19, if you are planning to attend to inspect the Application Documents, this will be by appointment only. Opening times and visiting arrangements are subject to change and will be explained when making an appointment.

Planning Inspectorate guidance is also available on the government website in relation to site visits, hearings, inquiries and events: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-planning-inspectorate-guidance 
USB device copies of the Application Documents can also be provided free of charge on request by emailing the Applicant at eastangliaonenorth@scottishpower.com.