What happens next
A decision on the application for a Development Consent Order for Norfolk Vanguard was taken on 11 February 2022 and has now been issued.
The period for legal challenge is defined in s118 of the Planning Act 2008. Further information about legal challenge can be found in the letter sent to all Interested Parties accompanying the Secretary of State’s decision and statement of reasons.
If you have any queries about the process please email the Planning Inspectorate at [email protected] or telephone the helpline on 0303 444 5000.
Timeline (81 items)
The Consultation and Publicity Statement (PDF, 14MB) for the non-material change application (2023) (PDF, 139KB) has been published.
The Secretary of State has issued a decision letter for the Benthic Implementation Plan, pursuant to Schedule 17, Part 3 of the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022 (PDF, 117KB).
The Representations received in response to the application for a non-material change to the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Development Consent Order 2022 have been published.
The responses to the Secretary of State’s letter of 21 July 2023 have been published.(PDF, 1 MB)
The Secretary of State continues to invite representations on all the information provided (PDF, 150 KB), including the latest responses (PDF, 1 MB).
The deadline for receipt of representations remains 11:59pm on Tuesday 29 August 2023.
The Responses to the Secretary of State’s letter of 21 July 2023 have been published. (PDF, 1,425KB)
The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has today written to the Applicant regarding several points of clarification (PDF, 150 KB). The deadline for response is 23:59 on 28 July 2023.
An application for a non-material change to Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Development Consent Order 2022 has been made by Norfolk Vanguard Ltd. and Norfolk Vanguard East Ltd.
If you wish to make a representation, this should be emailed to [email protected] or posted to:
National Infrastructure
The Planning Inspectorate
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Bristol BS1 6PN
The deadline for receipt of representations is 11:59pm on Tuesday 29 August 2023.
The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has issued a letter (PDF 139KB) confirming those parties that the Applicant should consult regarding a proposed non-material change (PDF 436KB) relating to the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022.
The responses to the Secretary of State’s consultation in relation to the Benthic Implementation and Monitoring Plan and associated documents have been published.
The Applicant has submitted the Benthic Implementation and Monitoring Plan and associated documents to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero for his consideration. The Secretary of State has invited the Marine Management Organisation and Natural England to comment on the Plans, in accordance with the Norfolk Boreas and Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Windfarm Orders.
Following a request for an extension by Natural England (PDF, 119KB), the deadline for response is 23:59 on Friday 26 May 2023.
The Applicant has submitted the Benthic Implementation and Monitoring Plan and associated documents to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero for his consideration. The Secretary of State has invited the Marine Management Organisation and Natural England to comment on the Plans, in accordance with the Norfolk Boreas and Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Windfarm Orders. The deadline for response is 23.59 on Wednesday 17 May 2023.
The Secretary of State has issued Approval Letters on 26 January 2023 for the Kittiwake Implementation and Monitoring Plan (PDF, 125 KB) and the Lesser Black-Backed Gull Implementation and Monitoring Plan (PDF, 126 KB), pursuant to Schedule 17, Parts 1 and 2 of the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2021.
Responses to the Applicant’s Lesser Black-Backed Gull Implementation and Monitoring Plan (PDF, 104 KB) (PDF, 129 KB) and the Kittiwake Implementation and Monitoring Plan (PDF, 145 KB) (PDF, 130 KB) have been published.
The Applicant has submitted the Kittiwake Implementation and Monitoring Plan and associated documents to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy for his consideration. The Secretary of State has invited East Suffolk Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Natural England to comment on the Plans, in accordance with the Norfolk Boreas and Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Windfarm Orders. The deadline for response is 23.59 on Wednesday 30 November 2022.
The Applicant has submitted the Lesser Black-Backed Gull Implementation and Monitoring Plan and associated documents to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy for his consideration. The Secretary of State has invited East Suffolk Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Natural England to comment on the Plans, in accordance with the Norfolk Boreas and Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Windfarm Orders. The deadline for response is 23.59 on Thursday 24th November 2022.
A Decision Letter (PDF, 183KB) and Amendment Order (PDF, 45KB) have been issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to make a change that is not material to the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022.
The Secretary of State has issued an Approval Letter (PDF, 117 KB) on 27 September 2022 for the Plans of Work for the Kittiwake Steering Group, the Lesser-Black Backed Gull Steering Group, and the Benthic Steering Group, pursuant to Schedule 19, Parts 1 to 3 of the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2021.
Representations received in response to the application for a non-material change to the Norfolk Vanguard Development Consent Order have been published.
A Correction Order (PDF, 43 KB) and a Correction Notice (PDF, 124 KB) for the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022 have been published. The Correction Order came into force on 7 September 2022
Representations received in response to the application for a non-material change to the Norfolk Vanguard Development Consent Order have been published.
An application for a non-material change to the Norfolk Vanguard Development Consent Order has been made by Norfolk Vanguard Limited.
If you wish to make a representation, this should be emailed to [email protected] or posted to:
National Infrastructure
The Planning Inspectorate
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Bristol BS1 6PN
The deadline for receipt of representations is 24 July 2022.
The Secretary of State has today granted development consent for this application. For further information please refer to the following documentation:
Planning Inspectorate Notification of Decision Letter (PDF, 110 KB)
Secretary of State Decision Letter (PDF, 569 KB)
Development Consent Order as made by the Secretary of State (PDF, 3MB)
Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report (PDF, 7MB)
Regulation 31 Notice (PDF, 64 KB)
Habitats Regulations Assessment (PDF, 2MB)
The Applicant has made a further submission to the Secretary of State (PDF, 1 MB) in light of comments submitted by Interested Parties.
Responses to the Secretary of State’s consultation letter of 11 October 2021 have been published.
Further to the Secretary of State’s letter of 11 October 2021 (PDF, 178KB) requesting information, and in response to a request from an Interested Party, the Secretary of State has agreed to extend the date for responses (PDF, 114KB) to 23.59 on Friday 19 November 2021.
The Secretary of State has issued a further letter requesting information from the Applicant, Natural England and Interested Parties. Responses are requested by 23:59 on 8 November 2021
The Applicant’s response to the Secretary of State’s letter of 11 August 2021 (PDF, 154 KB) has been published. The Secretary of State is reviewing the response.
Responses to the Secretary of State’s consultation letter of 5 July 2021 have been published.
The Secretary of State has issued a further letter requesting information from the Applicant (PDF, 154 KB). Responses are requested by 23.59 on Wednesday 25 August 2021.
The Secretary of State has requested additional information from the Applicant following the responses received to the Secretary of State’s letter inviting comments from all Interested Parties.
The deadline for the Applicant to comment is 23.59 on 2 August 2021.
Responses to the request for information following the High Court decision to quash the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2020 have been published.
Following the High Court’s decision to quash the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2020, a letter inviting comments (PDF, 207 KB) from all Interested Parties has been published. The deadline for comments is 23.59 on 20 May 2021.
Following an Order of the High Court made on 18 February 2021, the decision of the Secretary of State dated 1 July 2020 to grant the application by Norfolk Vanguard Limited for development consent for the proposed Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm has been quashed. The Secretary of State will now re-determine that application. Further details on the re-determination process will be published here in due course.
Following an Order of the High Court made on 18 February 2021, the decision of the Secretary of State dated 1 July 2020 to grant the application by Norfolk Vanguard Limited for development consent for the proposed Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm has been quashed. The Secretary of State is considering the judgment and will decide on the next steps in due course.
Following an Order of the High Court made on 18 February 2021 the decision of the Secretary of State dated 1 July 2020 to grant the application by Norfolk Vanguard Limited for development consent for the proposed Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm has been quashed. The Secretary of State must now re-determine that application. Further details on the re-determination process will be published here in due course.
The Secretary of State has granted development consent for this application. For further information please refer to the following decision documentation:
Planning Inspectorate Notification of Decision Letter
Secretary of State Decision Letter
Examining Authority Recommendation Report
Development Consent Order as made by the Secretary of State
Habitats Regulation Assessment
Regulation 31 Notice
NB Following an Order of the High Court made on 18 February 2021, the decision of the Secretary of State dated 1 July 2020 to grant the application by Norfolk Vanguard Limited for development consent for the proposed Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm has been quashed. Consequently, only the link to the Examining Authority’s Report will still function.
The Secretary of State has decided to re-set the statutory deadline for this application to 1 July 2020. A statement confirming the new deadline for a decision will be made to the House of Commons and House of Lords in accordance with section 107(7) of the Planning Act 2008 as soon as possible.
Comments from Interested Parties on the responses to the Secretary of State’s consultation letter of 6 December 2019 have now been published.
The Secretary of State has received responses from the Applicant and other Interested Parties to his consultation letter dated 6 December 2019 by the 28 February 2020 deadline. The Secretary of State considers the information provided by the Applicant in response to those letters to contain new environmental information and invites comments from Interested Parties on the representations received. The new deadline for this is 27 April 2020.
IMPORTANT: As a result of ongoing Government guidance relating to COVID-19 the Planning Inspectorate is seeking to ensure that all Parties are notified of key developments on projects, in a timely manner. In order to help achieve this, and to minimise any delays which could arise if the postal service is affected, it would be extremely helpful if registered Parties that have not already done so could supply us with a contact e-mail address as soon as possible (details in the contact information heading of the project page).
Please be assured that this information will be managed in line with our Privacy Notice.
The Secretary of State has received responses from the Applicant and other Interested Parties to his consultation letter dated 6 December 2019 by the 28 February 2020 deadline. The Secretary of State considers the information provided by the Applicant in response to those letters to contain new environmental information and invites comments from Interested Parties on the representations received by 9 April 2020.
A Written Ministerial Statement has been made announcing that the decision by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been delayed until 1 June 2020.
The Secretary of State will be setting a new deadline for a decision. A statement confirming the new deadline for a decision will be made to the House of Commons and House of Lords in accordance with section 107(7) of the Planning Act 2008 as soon as possible once Parliament is in session.
The Examination closed at 11.59pm on 10 June 2019.
The Examination closes at 23.59 on Monday 10 June 2019.
The Examining Authority’s request for further information under Rule 17 has been published.
The Applicant has submitted Additional Submissions which have been accepted at the discretion of the Examining Authority.
The Report on the Implications for European Sites (RIES) and the Examining Authority’s draft DCO schedule of changes have now been published.
Action points and audio recordings from the Hearings held in April 2019 have been published:
Action Points from Issue Specific Hearing 6: Environmental Matters – 24 April 2019
Action Points from Issue Specific Hearing 7: Draft Development Consent Order – 25 April 2019
A revised version of the draft Development Consent Order (Version 4) has been published. This was accepted at the discretion of the Examining Authority as an additional submission on 17 April 2019.
The agendas for Issue Specific Hearing 6 on Environmental Matters on 24 April, the Open Floor Hearing in Dereham on the evening of 24 April, and Issue Specific Hearing 7 on the draft DCO on 25 April have been published.
Action points from the Hearings held in March 2019 have been published:
Action Points from Issue Specific Hearing 4: Environmental Matters – 27 March 2019
Action Points from Issue Specific Hearing 5: Draft Development Consent Order – 28 March 2019
Action Points from Compulsory Acquisition Hearing – 28 March 2019
The agendas for the March 2019 Hearings have been published.
The itinerary for the Accompanied Site Inspection scheduled for 25 & 26 March 2019 has also been published.
The itinerary for the Accompanied Site Inspection scheduled for 25 & 26 March 2019 has now been published.
The Examining Authority’s further (second) Written Questions and requests for information issued on 27 February have been published.
A letter from the Examining Authority giving notification of the Accompanied Site Inspections and hearings 25 – 29 March 2019 has been published.
The action points from the recent Issue Specific Hearings have been published.
Action Points from Issue Specific Hearing 1– Onshore Environmental Matters 5 February 2019
Action Points from Issue Specific Hearing 2 – Offshore Environmental Matters 6 February 2019
Action Points from Issue Specific Hearing 3 – Draft Development Consent Order 7 February 2019
Documents for Deadline 2 have been published.
A hearing submission for the Issue Specific Hearing on onshore environmental matters has been published.
A submission in lieu of attendance at the Issue Specific Hearing on offshore environmental matters has been published.
The agenda for the Issue Specific Hearing 3 on the draft Development Consent Order on 7 February 2019 has been published.
The agendas for the Issue Specific Hearing 1 on onshore environmental matters on 5 February 2019, Issue Specific Hearing 2 on offshore environmental matters on 6 February 2019 and the Open Floor Hearing 2 on the evening of 6 February 2019 have been published.
The Examining Authority has requested further information from the Ministry of Defence and the Applicant for Deadline 2.
A letter from the Examining Authority giving notification of hearings in February 2019 has been published.
The Examination Timetable (Rule 8 letter) has been sent to Interested Parties
Procedural decision following Preliminary Meeting
Audio recordings of the Preliminary Meeting and the Open Floor Hearing have been published.
- Preliminary Meeting takes place
- Examination begins
The notification of Preliminary Meeting (Rule 6 letter) has been sent Read the letter
The letter also includes the draft Examination Timetable and Initial Assessment of Principal Issues.
This application was received by the Planning Inspectorate on Tuesday 26 June 2018.
The applicant has agreed that all application documents can be published as soon as practicable to help everyone become familiar with the detail of what is being proposed in this application. The Planning Inspectorate will therefore make the application documents available as soon as practicable.
This provision is solely for the purpose of allowing more time to all those who wish to become familiar with the detail of what is being proposed ahead of the relevant representation period without lengthening the overall time required for the application process. There will be no opportunity at this stage to make comments on the application. However, if the application is accepted anyone interested in the application will be able to register and express their views during the relevant representation stage and the subsequent examination.
