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Advice to Maritime and Coastguard Agency

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Enquiry

From
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Date advice given
10 October 2022
Enquiry type
Email

I am writing to raise a query on the potential examinations for the three offshore wind farm projects being proposed in the Irish Sea - Morgan, Morecambe and Mona. The three projects are currently working on their Navigation Risk Assessments (Hazard Identification workshops are being held next week) and whilst their applications to PINS are still a long way off, I wanted to raise an early concern that (1) the three projects present concerns to safe navigation in the area and (2) I believe that three separate planning examinations would not provide a full representation of the impacts because of the risks they present cumulatively which probably the most important concern for MCA and other navigational stakeholders. Is there scope within the examination/decision-making process for assessing the potential impacts of all three projects in one examination or does it confine us to three examinations?

Advice given

It is for the Applicants to decide when to submit their applications, therefore with different submission dates and different applicants there is little scope for combined Examinations or hearing sessions. I would suggest you contact the Applicants and raise your concerns with them. As all three projects are in the pre-application stage the MCA have the opportunity to provide clear advice to the Applicants on how to assess cumulative effects robustly.