Minister for Energy Consumers (): This statement concerns
an application for development consent made under the Planning
Act 2008 by North Falls Offshore Wind Farm Ltd for an offshore
wind farm with up to 57 wind turbines and up to two offshore
substation platforms and up to one offshore converter platform,
located off the East Anglian coastline in the southern North Sea.
Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008 (“the Act”), the
Secretary of State must make a decision on an application within
three months of the receipt of the Examining Authority's report
unless exercising the power under section 107(3) of the Act to
set a new deadline. Where a new deadline is set, the Secretary of
State must make a statement to Parliament to announce it.
The statutory deadline for the decision on the North Falls
Offshore Wind Farm proposed development is 28 January 2026.
I have decided to set a new statutory deadline of 28 April 2026.
This is to allow time to request further information that was not
available for consideration during the examination period and to
give all interested parties the opportunity to review and comment
on such information. Whilst it is not my preference to amend the
deadline, I am clear that applications for consent for energy
projects submitted under the Planning Act 2008 must meet the
necessary standards.
The decision to set the new deadline for this application is
without prejudice to the decision on whether to grant or refuse
development consent.
