Vattenfall - Norfolk Vanguard offshore Windfarm - latest information and news

Vattenfall is proposing to build a 1.8 gigawatt offshore windfarm called Norfolk Vanguard, nearly 50km from Norfolk’s coast. You can find out more here about North Norfolk District Council’s involvement with the plan.

Norfolk Vanguard is a large scale offshore wind farm proposal and is defined under the Planning Act 2008 as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP).

This means that North Norfolk District Council will not be the planning authority making the final decision on the proposal but would have a role as a statutory consultee because the development would affect parts of North Norfolk District.

Vattenfall will apply to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol for a Development Consent Order. This will be examined by the Planning Inspectorate and a recommendation made to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy for a decision.

On this page you can find news updates published by North Norfolk District Council, links to relevant Cabinet meetings and other information including details of how you and your community can take an active part in the NSIP process.

Vattenfall are also proposing a related offshore wind farm scheme called Norfolk Boreas.

Planning Inspectorate

As mentioned above, the Planning Inspectorate plays a key role in the process.

The Planning Inspectorate website National Infrastructure Planning features a section designed to inform and update progress around Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) within England and Wales.

An overview and documents related to Norfolk Vanguard can be viewed on the Planning Inspectorate website.

National Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) process

View a breakdown of the six stage NSIP process and how to take part in it.

Related articles

• Vattenfall decision welcomed by NNDC - 22 February 2018

Cabinet Reports

A range of issues around the Vattenfall project have been discussed at two recent Cabinet meetings.

On December 4, Cabinet discussed a report detailing the District Council’s proposed response to the Preliminary Environmental Information Report prepared by Vattenfall in support of its proposed Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind development. The Agenda and Decision List can be viewed on the Cabinet page dated 4 December 2017. 

On February 5, Cabinet discussed forming a Sub-Committee tasked with ensuring that the very best possible outcome is achieved for the residents of North Norfolk through developing formal contact with Vattenfall. The Agenda and Decision List can be viewed on the Cabinet page dated 5 February 2018. 

Cabinet sub-committee

In December it was proposed that a Cabinet sub-committee be formed and this was formally agreed by Full Council in February. The purpose of this sub-committee is to allow a deeper understanding of the proposals for development.

You can view the terms of reference for the sub-committee, including its membership, objectives and frequency of meetings.

Meeting dates will be published here when they have been confirmed.

If you have a question you would like the sub-committee to ask Vattenfall, please email sandra.king@north-norfolk.gov.uk.

Find out more

Visit the Vattenfall website for latest news and information about Norfolk Vanguard.