Windfarm cable plan backed despite critics

Green energy vs. green space

Councillors have been recommended to approve a controversial plan to site cables for an offshore windfarm through a protected environment.

Almost 2,000 objections have been received, and North Devon Council’s planning committe will meet on Wednesday 7 May to decide the fate of the onshore infrastructure plan.

The White Cross offshore windfarm, a test and demonstration site, is expected to pave the way for future floating offshore wind developments in the Celtic Sea.

The cable route for the five to eight turbines expected to generate enough electricity to power 135,000 homes, will make landfall on the beach at Saunton Sands and extend eight kilometres under Saunton Golf Course and the Taw Estuary, connecting to the national grid at East Yelland.

The area has a plethora of designations and protected landscapes and includes Braunton Burrows, a special area of conservation and UNESCO biosphere reserve known for its rich habitat for birds, bats and insects and flowering plants.

Campaigners have mounted a legal challenge to try and stop the development which they say will cause significant harm to the environment and traffic and construction work will clog up Braunton village and the only beach car park for up to two years.

White Cross is a project between Flotation Energy and Cobra who secured development rights from The Crown Estate for the windfarm in 2021.

They submitted the application for the onshore part of the scheme in August 2023 and it’s been the subject of three public consultations and several requests for more information from planning officers.

Save Our Sands and community group Love Braunton have spearheaded the protest against the scheme which has also received objections from conservation groups like the Devon Wildlife Trust and Braunton Parish Council.

Initial objections from the Environment Agency on flooding grounds have been withdrawn due to mitigation measures suggested by the developers and Natural England says it is happy that attempts have been made to avoid any negative impact on the wintering bird population.

The applicants say they intend to programme as much of the work as possible outside of the key tourist season from mid-July to the end of August to limit the impact on the beach car park.

Officers have recommended approval of the application subject to 39 conditions.

They conclude in their report to the planning committee that “in terms of the overall planning balance, the weight to be attributed to the benefits associated with renewable and low carbon energy generation and the proposal’s contribution to a net zero future, can be considered to outweigh the largely short environmental impacts that would arise during the construction phase”.

The plan received 1,865 objections and 41 comments in support.

If agreed the developers will be asked to sign a legal agreement to provide a biodiversity net gain plan, a contribution for the provision of an enhanced bus service to ensure ongoing visitor access to Saunton Sands during the construction phase and the setting up of a community liaison group and officer.

At the meeting on 7 May at 10am there will be six speakers objecting to the plan and six supporting, which is the maximum allowance for planning committee items.  Councillors will then make a decision after a debate.