Decision on Morocco power cable link plans delayed

Over 1,000 locals against it

A decision on a controversial plan to lay cables for a floating windfarm next to a world-renowned North Devon surfing beach and within a host of protected landscapes will not be made until the new year.

Additional survey work about ecology and drainage for the White Cross proposal needs to be submitted by developers Cobra and Flotation Energy and consulted on before the plan can be discussed, North Devon Council has confirmed.

The windfarm cabling will make landfall at Saunton Sands beach, part of the North Devon World Surfing Reserve, then run underground beneath a golf course before going under the Taw Estuary and connecting to the grid at East Yelland.

More than 1,000 people and Braunton Parish Council have opposed the onshore infrastructure element of the 100MW windfarm 32 miles off the  coast since it was submitted last year.

The cabling work is expected to take two years, with a work hub in Saunton Sands’ beach car park, closing 40 per cent of it to the public.

In addition, local people fear as many as 90 HGVs a day using narrow roads through Braunton during the construction would have a devastating effect on tourism, the village’s main industry.

Concerns have raised by Natural England and conservation groups about the impact on wildlife, including bats, birds and sea creatures.

The Environment Agency has opposed the plans on flooding grounds.

The area has a whole host of designations. It is part of the North Devon National Landscape; the Taw-Torridge Estuary is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI and Braunton Burrows is the backdrop to Saunton Sands, a Special Area of Conversation (SAC) and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Four hundred flowering plants, including some which are rare, flourish in the area, and 33 species of butterflies have been recorded.

An extension was granted by the local authority for more information about the environmental impact of the plans, with a decision deadline expriring at the beginning of this month.

Planning officers met with the applicants last week to discuss progress of the application. Councillors are expected to make a decision on it in the new year.

North Devon councillor for Braunton East Graham Bell (Lib Dem) said the application had dragged on, leaving the village’s residents “in limbo and frustrated” over the lack of clarity on how issues raised by the parish council would be addressed.

“It is vital that North Devon’s unique biosphere and surf reserve are not sacrificed in the rush to complete this test array. It is vital that any plans place the safety of the biosphere as an absolute priority. The biosphere isn’t simply a ‘nice place’, it is a vital and unique piece of our natural environment,” he said.

The rights for the White Cross development were secured from the Crown Estate in 2021 as a test and demonstration site.

Eight turbines will generate enough energy to power 135,000 homes.

Developers said on the more environmentally sensitive parts of the route it will use trenchless drilling techniques, so wildlife and habitats are not disturbed. It says an ‘ecological clerk of works’ will be on site to ensure environmental management plans are followed.