Hornsea Four Offshore Windfarm

As the result of Hornsea Project One and Two being constructed and Hornsea Project Three commencing construction earlier this year, DM continue to support Ørsted with Hornsea Four which received its Development Consent Order in July 2023.

DM are committed to supporting Ørsted in their vision of a world that runs entirely on green energy.

The Project

Hornsea Project Four proposes the installation of 180 offshore wind turbines in the North Sea and installing onshore underground export cables between the landfall site to the north of Barmston near Bridlington and the existing National Grid substation at Creyke Beck, near Hull. The project will provide much-needed renewable energy and power over one million households.

The Basics

As the project will generate more than 100MW, it is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). Under this classification, the project must apply for a Development Consent Order (DCO) under the NSIP regime.

Dalcour Maclaren was instructed in 2017 to undertake the scheme’s entire land and property remit, including land referencing, land assembly, project management and DCO examination support.

The initial scope of work included significant consultation and engagement with key stakeholders, which led to negotiations throughout 2020 and 2021. Before the DCO application in September 2021, the project was highly focused on negotiations to secure land rights ahead of the DCO application to ensure that the project was in the best place possible for examination. Unlike others, the client front-loaded their project to complete as much work during the pre-application stage as possible.

Under the proposed DCO, the project will require the rights for Ørsted to construct, operate, maintain and decommission Hornsea Four. Alongside voluntary agreements, the project sought compulsory acquisition of land and rights over the land to construct a 40km onshore route that requires an 80-metre onshore construction cable corridor, as well as construct, operate and maintain a substation and energy balancing infrastructure near the existing Creyke Beck Substation.

DM’s Involvement

DM has worked alongside Orsted for 14 years, supporting them on nearly all of their projects, and has a passion for supporting them in their vision of creating “a world that runs entirely on green energy.”

After Dalcour Maclaren assisted in completing the land referencing stage to acquire land ownership details, we have been assisting our client in providing our services through a range of different areas, including;

Next Steps

We are pleased that the project has received a positive DCO award, meaning we are swiftly issuing s.134 notices. Other key activities going forward are:

• Managing an intrusive survey programme
• Sharing project knowledge as the project team expands
• Working with key stakeholders and ensuring continued engagement prior to entry
• Serving Option notices and managing payments
• Making proactive compensation payment
• Agreeing accommodation works
• Supporting entry with the principal contractor
• Provision of experts, surveyors, project managers and agricultural liaison officers
• Liaison and advice on reinstatement and drainage
• Settlement of compensation

Project Successes

The project has achieved the following:

• A positive DCO award
• 100% signed Licence Agreements from landowners and occupiers for non-intrusive and intrusive surveys
• 16 Workshops held with landowners, occupiers and agents to educate on the construction and drainage process (largely undertaken with Covid restrictions)
• 100% of Heads of Terms agreed
• 99% of terms agreed across the route ahead of examination for the onshore cable route (all private individuals agreed)
• 100% of Occupiers signed up ahead of examination
• 99% of Option Agreements in place to date

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