Consultation event on Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farm

Energy firm Vattenfall is inviting the public to give their views on the impact of one of the world’s largest wind farms to be built off the north Norfolk coast.
 

Photo: Vattenfall

 
Consultation events on the Norfolk Boreas project will be held throughout November at various locations across the county, including St Michael’s Reepham on Saturday 24 November from 10 am – 3 pm.
 
The Swedish power company, which is also behind the Norfolk Vanguard wind farm currently under consideration by the Planning Inspectorate, has published a statement of community consultation into the Boreas project, ahead of opening a public consultation period next month.
 
The Norfolk Boreas wind farm would be situated 73 km east of the north Norfolk coast and consist of up to 200 turbines.
 
Power generated there would come onshore at Happisburgh, and connect to the National Grid at a substation at Necton, via underground cables that will pass to the north and west of Reepham.
 
Subject to both Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas receiving consent and progressing to construction, onshore cable ducts will be installed for both projects at the same time, as part of the Vanguard construction works, said Vattenfall.
 
“This would allow the main civil works for the cable route to be completed in one construction period and in advance of cable delivery, preventing the requirement to reopen the land and thus minimising disruption,” the company added.
 
The consultation statement for the Norfolk Boreas project is available to view at several libraries and district council offices across the county. It can also be read online
 
The public consultation period will open on Wednesday 7 November and close at midnight on Sunday 9 December.
 
To give your view on the project during this time, either visit www.vattenfall.co.uk/norfolkboreas, email: info@norfolkboreas.co.uk, call Freephone 0800 019 3517, or write to Freepost Norfolk Boreas (no stamp required).
 
Vattenfall expects a decision on the Norfolk Vanguard project in December 2019, according to Sue Falch-Lovesey, local liaison officer and skills champion, speaking at the Reepham Town Council meeting earlier this month.
 
The company has committed to use high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology, which will reduce the onshore cable installation route working width from 100 metres to 45 metres.
 
Vattenfall has also said it will use trenchless crossing techniques to minimise impacts to specific features such as major roads, railways, main rivers and wildlife sites; this includes the Marriott’s Way, but not the B1145 road that passes through Reepham.
 
Crossings of two-lane roads will be managed without full closure of the road, but with temporary traffic lights. Crossings of single-lane roads will require temporary road closure.
 
Duct installation is expected to take place during 2022/2023, during which will be the highest volume of construction traffic, with the subsequent cable installation in 2024/2025.
 
Working hours will normally be 7 am – 7 pm Mondays–Fridays, plus 7 am – 1 pm on Saturdays. However, there may be certain exceptions that will be discussed with the local authorities; for example, larger components may be best delivered outside these hours to avoid traffic impacts, and limited 7 day/24 hour working may be required during trenchless crossing activities.
 
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