Abstract
This Environmental Statement has been prepared by the RPS Group Plc on behalf of DONG Energy in support of the following applications for an offshore wind farm in the outer Thames estuary.
The Gunfleet Sands project, which is located approximately 8.5km south-east of Clacton-on- Sea, Essex, consists of the already consented Gunfleet Sands 1 project1, which has consent to construct up to 30 turbines, each of a maximum capacity of 3.6MW, thus yielding a total capacity of 108MW, and a proposed extension, Gunfleet Sands 2 (GS2).
The proposed extension, (GS2) was awarded a lease option agreement by Crown Estate in December 2003 and includes up to 22 turbines with a maximum total capacity of 64MW. The development comprises the turbines, inter turbine cabling, an offshore substation, an optional met mast and radar mast. The development will utilise the existing onshore electricity connection consented under the GS1 Town and Country Planning and Water Resources Act permissions and the offshore export cable route consented under Transport and Works and FEPA to Mean High Water Springs (MHWS).