How long is the planning process for an offshore windfarm?
The Scottish Government has committed to determine applications for renewables developments within nine months in cases where there is no public inquiry. Marine Scotland, a new Scottish Government department, will now play a large role in the permitting of offshore wind energy developments in Scotland. It aims to streamline the consenting procedure for these developments. Such streamlining has been put in specifically to avoid delay to the project’s development. If sufficient objections are received one of the statutory consultees (in particular, Argyll and Bute Council) can demand a public enquiry, in which case consent (if it is granted) will take much longer than 9 months – typically 2 years or more.
