Written statement: Energy Infrastructure Planning Projects - May 14

Minister for Energy Consumers (Martin McCluskey): My noble Friend Lord Whitehead, Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, has today made the following Statement:

This Statement concerns an application for development consent made under the Planning Act 2008 by Morgan Offshore Wind Limited and Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Limited for the Morgan and Morecambe Offshore Wind Farms Transmission Assets in the East Irish Sea off the coast of North West England, including onshore connection to the electricity transmission network.

Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make a decision on an application within four 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 Morgan and Morecambe Offshore Wind Farms Transmission Assets was 14 May 2026.

I have decided to allow an extension and to set a new deadline of 14 September 2026. This is to allow time to request further information.

The decision to set the new deadline for this application is without prejudice to the decision on whether to grant or refuse development consent.