Rampion 2: Sussex wind farm planning application accepted for examination

Proposals to build Rampion 2 – an extension to the existing Rampion wind farm – were the subject of a Development Consent Order (DCO) application last month.

On Thursday (September 7), the DCO application was accepted for examination by the UK Government’s planning inspectorate.

Umair Patel, who is leading the Rampion 2 project, said: “We are delighted. As part of our journey to date, we have carried out a huge programme of engagement and consultation over the past three years, and have subsequently made changes to the project proposals in response to feedback from statutory consultees and the Sussex community.

“We want to thank the local communities in Sussex for taking the time to provide feedback on the project proposals to date. Our goal throughout has been to progress the development of our cable route design in light of feedback received from local communities, while minimising, where possible, wildlife and the environmental impacts, to deliver an economic solution.”

Consultation on the project started in January 2021, followed by a nine-week statutory project-wide consultation launched in July 2021, promoted by a publicity campaign which attracted 12,500 visits to the project website hosting the consultation proposals. The chosen site for an onshore substation, Oakendene, near Cowfold, was announced in July 2022.

The Rampion 2 plan was scaled back last year following public concern. The extent of the offshore wind turbine array proposals were reduced by nearly half and the maximum number of turbines were decreased from 116 to 90.

It was estimated that the offshore turbines – which would be around 13 kilometres from the coast between Brighton and Littlehampton – could power one million homes and ‘reduce carbon emissions by around 1.8 million tonnes per year’.

This means Rampion and Rampion 2 combined will be able to power the equivalent of all of the homes in Sussex twice over.

The application now being examined includes; detailed proposals for the Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm; the final environmental statement which sets out potential impacts and mitigations; and a consultation report which details the engagement and consultations carried out over the past three years – as well as how the project team has taken account of the feedback received.

Rampion 1 is based in the English Channel between 13 and 20 kilometres (km) from the Sussex coast, and stretches from East Worthing in the west, to Brighton in the east.

If given the go ahead, Rampion 2 would be situated to the west of the existing offshore wind farm and would include up to 90 turbines a minimum of eight miles offshore.

A spokesperson for the project added: “An offshore export cable route would bring the power ashore under Climping Beach on the coast, and the underground cable route would continue inland to a new substation called Oakendene near Cowfold, then finally connect the power

to the national electricity network at Bolney in Mid Sussex.

“Now that the DCO application is accepted for examination by the planning inspectorate – in accordance with Section 56 of the Planning Act 2008 – the Rampion 2 Project Team will publicise notices of the accepted application in local and national newspapers, setting out how the

community can register their opinions with the planning inspectorate.

"The public will be able to view the final proposals and register as an ‘interested party’ at the project page of the planning inspectorate website.

"Anyone wishing to be kept informed or to participate in the examination can register at the same website.”

Rampion 2 said the examination process is expected to take six months, and a final decision on whether consent will be granted will be made by the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero by early 2025.

RWE – one of the globally leading renewables companies – is leading the development of Rampion 2 on behalf of partners, including a Macquarie-led consortium and Enbridge Inc.