The UK government has granted approval for a significant offshore wind farm project off the northern coast of Wales. Developed by Awel y Môr Offshore Wind Farm Ltd, this project is described as “Wales’ largest renewable energy investment this decade”.
In response to community concerns raised by residents in 2021, Awel y Môr Offshore Wind Farm Ltd scaled down its initial proposal from 91 turbines to a range of 35 to 50. The developers anticipate that the generated power will be sufficient to meet the energy requirements of approximately 500,000 households.
In 2015, the same developers inaugurated one of the United Kingdom’s largest offshore wind farms, known as Gwynt y Môr, featuring 160 turbines, situated off the coast of Llandudno in Conwy.
Awel y Môr will be positioned adjacent to the existing Gwynt y Môr wind farm. The company has indicated that the maximum height of these turbines will reach 332 meters (1,089 feet).
Consent for this project has been granted by Claire Coutinho, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Paul Morrison, the Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate, emphasised that local communities will continue to have the opportunity to participate in the assessment of projects that may impact their areas.
