In 2021, Ireland legislated for a plan-led approach to the management of our sea areas. In 2023, a decision was taken by the Government and supported by both Houses of the Oireachtas that the designation of maritime areas for future developments of offshore renewable energy (ORE) should be determined by the State. The South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan for offshore renewable energy represents the first maritime spatial plan for ORE in Ireland. The preparation of this draft Plan has taken place pursuant to the legislative provisions of the Maritime Area Planning Act, 2021 (MAP Act), and is consistent with Ireland’s National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF).
The publication of this draft Plan and accompanying Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Environmental Report and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) on May 3rd, 2024, started a six-week statutory public consultation period, which will inform possible revisions to the draft Plan, prior to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (MECC), in his role as DMAP Competent Authority, seeking the approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas for its formal establishment. This draft Plan has already been shaped by a nine-and-a-half-week non-statutory public consultation which took place last year on the South Coast DMAP Proposal during August to October 2023.
The draft Plan is consistent with the South Coast DMAP Proposal, and its preparation has been further informed by additional non-statutory consultation, stakeholder engagement, environmental analysis, and assessment of best available data. It is a key core objective to avoid and minimise possible adverse impacts from ORE projects and associated transmission infrastructure.
Maritime Areas:
The draft South Coast DMAP identifies four Maritime Areas within the wider geographical area, which is the subject of the draft Plan, and within which proposed future deployments of ORE may proceed for further project level assessment, in accordance with the plan-led approach envisaged by the EU Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) Directive and required by the draft Plan. Further, the draft South Coast DMAP includes a suite of associated policy objectives which will collectively support and guide the implementation of the Plan. Regarding development timelines, the draft Plan envisions, subject to obtaining the necessary project level consents, the future deployment of a single ORE project by 2030, or as soon as feasible thereafter, and further subsequent deployments for the post 2030 period, which will take place in an orderly and strategically managed basis.
The Helvick Head Offshore Wind project proposal approximately corresponds with the Tonn Nua (site A) site designated in the South Coast DMAP. ESB-Ørsted will investigate the conditions associated with the recently designated Tonn Nua site and continue to work with relevant government departments and other stakeholders in seeking to advance Ireland’s Offshore Renewable Energy ambitions.
Full details of the Public Consultation on the Draft South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan for Offshore Renewable Energy are available here.