Thistle Wind Partners (TWP) has submitted the offshore scoping report for the Ayre offshore wind project to the Scottish government, marking a pivotal step in the project's environmental assessment journey.
The documentation, forwarded to the Marine Directorate – Licensing & Operations Team, seeks a Scoping Opinion under environmental impact assessment (EIA) regulations.
The report details plans for offshore infrastructure and outlines the approach to EIA, incorporating data from comprehensive baseline surveys.
Scheduled 22km east of Orkney with connections to the Caithness grid, the 1GW floating wind farm has undergone extensive environmental surveys, including aerial bird and marine mammal assessments completed earlier this year.
Ian Taylor, TWP project director, expressed enthusiasm for reaching this milestone: “TWP is delighted to meet this milestone for Ayre Offshore Wind Farm, which is a key step in the consenting journey for the development of our Project.”
Community consultation events in Caithness are slated for autumn 2024 and early 2025, aiming to gather feedback ahead of the onshore planning application submission next year.
Additional consultations are planned for Orkney and Caithness in 2025, underscoring TWP's commitment to stakeholder engagement throughout the project's development.
