Representation by Adur District Council (Adur District Council)
- Date submitted
- 3 November 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
These are officer level comments on behalf of Adur District Council: Adur District Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019. As part of this declaration, the Council has made a commitment to work towards being a carbon neutral council by 2030 and to be a net zero carbon district by 2045. The Council also acknowledges national targets set for delivering offshore wind, and for carbon reduction, and notes the important role offshore wind power can play in contributing to these. As such, the Council supports the increased provision of green energy that would be delivered by Rampion 2. However these positive aspects must be balanced against the need to take wider matters into account. Whilst it is recognised that larger turbines generate renewable electricity more efficiently and that there must be a trade off between aesthetic impact and renewable energy production we do have some concerns about the visual impact of the turbines. Any assessment of visual impact should ensure that the coastline of Adur District is adequately addressed, given its important role as a recreational resource for residents and visitors, and heritage assets. The Council is also concerned that any adverse impacts to biodiversity are minimised, and an overall net gain for biodiversity is delivered. The Council considers that benefits arising from the Rampion scheme should be distributed throughout those communities impacted by the schemes, particularly coastal communities and areas experiencing deprivation. The Council would welcome the opportunity to discuss how this can be supported, in more detail. The Council wishes to highlight the opportunities that could arise from facilitating direct links between energy generated by the Rampion schemes and the green energy technologies emerging along the south coast. Adur District Council is keen to explore opportunities to support green energy hub(s) within the district. Although there are no physical works proposed within Adur, we understand that other local authorities and organisations have raised concerns about potential impacts of construction, operation, and decommissioning (both offshore and onshore). As a neighbouring authority, we seek to ensure that these matters are adequately considered and mitigated as appropriate.