Planning and Development

Transboundary Environmental Public Consultation

Transboundary Environmental Public Consultation

Planning Application for proposed Awel y Mȏr Offshore Windfarm, approximately 10km off the coast of North Wales

In accordance with the provisions of the 1991 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (“the Espoo Convention”), the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage received notification from the UK Planning Inspectorate (“PINS”) in relation to a development consent application (“the planning application”) by Awel y Mȏr Offshore Wind Farm Limited. Awel y Mȏr Offshore Wind Farm is a project being developed by RWE Renewables (RWE) to the west of the existing Gwynt y Mȏr Offshore Wind Farm. It is located approximately 10km off the Welsh coast in the Irish Sea, with maximum total area of 88km and will comprise up to 91 wind turbine generators.

The proposed development will be comprised of (but not limited to): an offshore wind farm, including wind turbine generators and associated foundations, wind measurement equipment and array cables; transmission infrastructure, including offshore substations and associated foundations, offshore and onshore export cables (underground), including associated transition bays and jointing bays, an onshore substation, and connection infrastructure into the National Grid.

The proposed development has been identified as a project within the scope of paragraph 2 of Appendix 1 to the Espoo Convention as implemented by the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (“the EIA Regulations”) (UK legislation).

Consequently, the Secretary of State conducted a transboundary EIA screening. This screening exercise determined that the proposed development may have transboundary environmental impacts in this State. The transboundary issues screened in include impacts on fish and shellfish, marine mammals and sea birds, and commercial shipping. The screening assessment is available at:

Transboundary screening assessment undertaken by the Planning Inspectorate

A nationwide public consultation will open for submissions on Friday 30th September 2022. A member of the public may make a written submission or observations in relation to the potential transboundary environmental effects of the project, by close of business on Friday 4th November 2022 at the latest. Submissions or observations should be made to: AwelyMor@planninginspectorate.gov.uk.

Members of the public may wish to visit the Dublin City Council public consultation portal at the link below to view correspondence from the UK’s PINS, digital copies of extracts from the applicant’s Environmental Statement; associated documents and links provided by the UK’s PINS to the full Environmental Statement and all other documentation relating to the development consent application for the proposed development.

Awel y Mȏr Offshore Windfarm, approximately 10km off the coast of North Wales

The public consultation notice is also available to view in the office of the Planning Section of each planning authority nationwide during office hours, by appointment if required.A copy of these documents is available for inspection, or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, during office hours at the office of each planning authority nationwide. Links to all documents will be made available online by each Local Authority please contact your Local Authority for further details.

Due to social distancing measures introduced in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, viewing may be by appointment only in certain local authority offices. It is strongly advised to contact your local authority to clarify the position in this regard before travelling to view the documentation. All documentation related to the development consent application for the proposed development is also available to view on the website of the UK’s PINs, including any additional information accepted by the UK’s PINS at:

Website of the UK’s PINs

Due to the voluminous nature of an application for development at this scale, the Applicant has also produced a ‘Guide to the Application’, summarising the structure of the application for development consent for the Proposed Development. This document is available from:

Guide to the Application

Contact details for submissions or observations

Any queries in relation to this transboundary EIA consultation should be directed to Dublin City Council. See contact details below:

Greg Bryan, Administrative Officer

Planning & Property Development Department, Planning Administration,

Block4, Floor 3, Civic Offices,

Wood Quay, Dublin 8

T: 01-2223108 E: greg.bryan@dublincity.ie

Additional Documents

Categories of documents within a Consultation Set Links to PINS website Page Sizes
Notification and Transboundary Screening documents  (Pre-application consultation) - Names of documents   Total Pages
Notification Letter from the Planning Inspectorate dated 3 August 2022   3
Transboundary Screening statement of 24/09/2021 Here 24
Guide to the application dated April 2022 Here 47
Total Pages for notification and transboundary screening (Pre-application consultation) documents   74
Category 2 - Plans    Total Pages
2.1 Location Plan Here 15
2.2 Land Plan (Offshore) Here 4
Total pages for Environmental Information Documents   19
Category 3 - Development Consent Order   Total Pages
3.1 Draft Development Consent Order Here 108
3.2 Explanatory Memorandum Here 39
Total pages for Environmental Information Documents   147
Category 5 - Reports (including AA for HRA)   Total Pages
5.1 Consultation Report Here 191
5.2 Report to inform AA Here 584
5.2.1 RIAA Annex 1 : HRA screening Update (non-Ornithology) Here 32
5.2.2 RIAA Annex 2: HRA Screening update (Ornithology) Here 23
5.2.3. RIAA Annex 3: European Site Information Here 144
5.2.4 RIAA Annex 4: Bottle nose Dolphin and Grey Seal additional info Here 33
5.2.5 RIAA Annex 5: Ornithology Apportioning note Here 8
5.2.6 RIAA Annex 6:  Screening matrcies Here 88
5.2.7 RIAA Annex 7: Integrity matrices Here 166
Total pages for Environmental Information Documents   1269
Category 6 - Environmental Statement   Total Pages
6.1.1 Volume 1, Chapter 1 - Introduction Here 29
6.1.3 Volume 1, Chapter 3: EIA Methodology Here 36
6.1.3.1 Volume 1, Annex 3.1: Cumulative Effects Screening Here 81
6.1.3.2 Volume 1, Annex 3.2: Transboundary Screening Here 37
6.2.1 Volume 2, Chapter 1: Off-shore project description Here 99
6.2.4 Volume 2, Chapter 4: Offshore Ornithology Here 317
6.2.5 Volume 2, Chapter 5: Benthic Subtidal and Intertidal Ecology Here 190
6.2.6 Volume 2, Chapter 6: Fish and shellfish ecology Here 255
6.2.7 Volume 2, Chpater 7: Marine Mammals Here 261
6.4.4.1 Volume 4, Annex 4.1 - Offshore Ornithology baseline characterisation report Here 200
6.4.4.2 Volume 4, Annex 4.2 - Offshore Ornithology displacement Here 70
6.4.4.3 Volume 4, Annex 4.3 - Offsore Ornithology collision risk modelling Here 32
6.4.4.6 Volume 4, Annex 4.6: Offshore Ornithology Population Viability Analysis Here 41
6.4.6.1 Volume 4, Annex 6.1 - Fish and shellfish ecology technical baseline Here 60
6.4.6.2 Volume 4, Annex 6.2 - Underwater noise technical report Here 61
6.4.7.1 Volume 4, Annex 7.1 - Marine mammal baseline characterisation Here 103
6.4.7.2 Volume 4, Annex 7.2 - Draft outline marine mammal mitigation protocol Here 43
6.4.7.3 Volume 4, Annex 7.3 - Marine mammal quantitative assessment assumptions  Here 35
6.4.8.1 Volume 4, Annex 8.1 - Commercial fisheries baseline report Here 62
6.4.8.2 Volume 4, Annex 8.2 - Commercial fisheries consultation record Here 66
6.4.9.1 Volume 4, Annex 9.1 - Navigational Risk Assessment Here 227
6.8.1 Scoping Opinion Here 425
Total pages for Environmental Information Documents   2730
Category 7 - Additional Information for specific types of infrastructure   Total Pages
7.1 Grid Connection and Cable Details Statement Here 29
Total pages for Environmental Information Documents   29
Category 8 - Other Documents   Total Pages
8.1 - Planning Statement Here 240
8.2 Annex 1 - Evidence plan report Part 1 (A to C) Here 507
8.9 Disposal Site Characterisation Here 49
8.11 Schedule of Mitigation Here 28
Total pages for Environmental Information Documents   824
     
Draft Development Consent Order Documents   Total Pages
Total Overall for 1 set    5,092