Morven Offshore Wind Limited has formally notified the Secretary of State, of its intention to submit an Environmental Statement.

The proposed development consists of an electrical transmission link supplying up to 2.9GW of electricity between the Morven Offshore Wind Farm and the existing Hawthorn Pit Substation located on the northeast coast of England, between Ryhope, Sunderland and Easington Colliery, County Durham. The proposed development includes the components in England and English waters only. Works required beyond English waters will be consented separately under the Scottish consenting regime, including electrical transmission in Scottish waters, the Morven Offshore Wind Farm and a second grid connection in Scotland, the Branxton Area Connection Project.

The electrical transmission link consists of approximately 261km High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cabling including a fibre optic cable between the northeast coast of England and to where it meets the marine boundary between English and Scottish waters. The onshore aspects of the proposed development will comprise approximately 16.8km of onshore HVDC cables and approximately 5.3km of High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) cables to the National Grid connection point at the existing Hawthorn Pit Substation.

Information about the proposed development and about its likely significant effects is available in the scoping report and the Secretary of State’s scoping opinion which are available electronically on the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN0210005

Based on the current information provided by the applicant to the Secretary of State, and applying a precautionary approach, the Secretary of State is of the view that the proposed development is likely to have significant effects on the environment in France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Iceland. In accordance with regulation 32 of The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (EIA Regulations) the Secretary of State has provided information to the above mentioned EEA States about the proposed development and its likely significant effects, and these States have been asked to indicate by 18 July 2025 whether or not they wish to participate in the procedure for examining and determining the application under the Planning Act 2008 (PA 2008) and regulation 32 of The EIA Regulations.

The proposed development is currently at the pre-application stage of the process. The applicant has not yet submitted an application to the Secretary of State. If the application is accepted for examination, the application will be examined in public and, subject to the provisions of the PA 2008, the examination must be completed within a period of six months. Further information about how to participate in the examination procedure under the PA 2008 and the way in which the Secretary of State will notify and consult EEA States in accordance with regulation 32 of The EIA Regulations is available on the UK Government’s website: ‘Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: Advice pages’.

Following examination of the application and having taken the environmental information into consideration, the decision maker may refuse or grant development consent. If development consent is granted, this may be subject to requirements which, if necessary, will secure measures to avoid, reduce or offset the major adverse effects of the proposed development.

Signed by the Planning Inspectorate for and on behalf of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.