18/09/2023

The following notification was received by Washington Parish Council from RWE:

Rampion 2 application accepted for Examination by Planning Inspectorate "We are writing to inform you that on 7th September, the Rampion 2 Development Consent Order (DCO) application for an offshore wind farm off the coast of Sussex, was accepted for examination by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate. We have carried out a huge programme of engagement and consultation over the past three years and have subsequently made changes to the project proposals in response to feedback from statutory consultees and the Sussex community and we thank the local communities in Sussex for taking the time to provide feedback on the project proposals to date. The application being examined includes detailed proposals for the Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm, the final Environmental Statement which sets out potential impacts and mitigations, and a Consultation Report which details the engagement and consultations carried out over the past three years and how the Project Team has taken account of the feedback received. Situated to the west of the existing Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, Rampion 2, if consented, would include up to 90 turbines a minimum of eight miles offshore. An offshore export cable route would bring the power ashore under Climping Beach on the coast, and the underground cable route would continue inland to a new substation called Oakendene near Cowfold, then finally connect the power to the national electricity network at Bolney in Mid Sussex. The Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm could generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of over one million homes and reduce carbon emissions by around 1.8 million tonnes. This means Rampion and Rampion 2 combined could power the equivalent of all of the homes in Sussex, twice over. Now that the DCO application is accepted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate, in accordance with Section 56 of the Planning Act 2008, the Rampion 2 Project Team will publicise Notices of the accepted application in local and national newspapers, setting out how the community can register their opinions with the Planning Inspectorate. The public will be able to view the final proposals and register as an ‘interested party’ with the Planning Inspectorate at the Project Page of the Planning Inspectorate website at Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm | National Infrastructure Planning (planninginspectorate.gov.uk). Anyone wishing to be kept informed or to participate in the examination can register at the same website. The Examination process is expected to take six months, and a final decision on whether consent will be granted will be made by the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero by early 2025.

Contact 0800 2800 886 or visit www.rampion2.com for more information