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Spiorad na Mara – the offshore windfarm proposed to be located approximately 5-13km off the west coast of the Isle of Lewis – has announced details of its first phase of public consultation.
Commencing on 23 September, this first phase of public consultation is an essential part of the development process for Spiorad na Mara, during which the project team will share the latest updates on all aspects of the project and invite feedback.
The range of topics to be presented as part of the consultation will include offshore array layout options; offshore cable route corridors; onshore cable route corridors; potential landfall and substation locations; Environmental Impact Assessment work and supply chain opportunities.
Feedback received will help inform how the project design and development progresses, in a way that best addresses the desires and concerns of local people, whilst also balancing relevant technical and environmental considerations. “This is the first of two very important phases of public consultation, and is in addition to the programme of wider engagement which has been ongoing since 2022, when the seabed area option was awarded to Northland Power by the Scottish Government,” said Tanya Davies, Project Director.
“We are committed to being inclusive in our consultation activities and to maximising opportunities for participation by all. To achieve this, we will make information available online, hold in-person exhibitions at local venues, and make project team members available for small-group or individual meetings through information clinics.”
Awareness of the public consultation and the activities that will form part of it is being created in a number of ways, including the delivery, by Royal Mail, of leaflets to over 11,000 households and other properties across the HS1 and HS2 post codes, which commenced on 26 August; advertisements placed in local media outlets and information provided to local community organisations to share with their members.
This first phase of public consultation starts on Monday 23 September, with the launch of an on-line consultation room which will run until Thursday 23 October. On Tuesday 24 September, the project will hold the first of seven in-person consultation events at venues around the island.
Full listings of the dates, venues and consultation activities can be found on the project website at: https://northlandpowerscotwind.co.uk/public-consultation-update/
A second phase of public consultation will follow and is expected to take place in early 2025. At this point, feedback from the first consultation will have been considered in detail and taken into account, as appropriate, and updated project plans will be shared.
Spiorad na Mara is owned by Northland Power (75.5%) and ESB (24.5%), with Northland leading on the development, construction, and operation.
The project is still in the early stages of development and, subject to all necessary permits and consents being received, Spiorad na Mara could begin construction in 2028 and be operational by 2031.
Further information is available at www.spioradnamara.co.uk
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