March 2024

As in the message below shared with ADC, we are happy to share the attached input to the Rampion 2 Examination Authority in the form of 3 substantive written representations (WRs) prepared by Sussex community organisations. We are also sharing this input with other bodies including WSCC, SDNPA and area MPs who have been very supportive of our concerns and have objected to Rampion 2. 

The attached PDF named "1-Overview...". has a one-page bullet point summary of each WR. We hope that you will find these informative and can share this appropriately with Councillor and Officer colleagues at your Council.

Sincerely, 

 The Secretary

The Littlehampton Society

Subject:   Rampion 2 Examination Input from Sussex Community Organisations

 

Further to previous correspondence on this matter over the past few years, we write to inform you of the submission of three written representations (WRs) to the Rampion 2 Examination Authority (ExA) by local community organisations operating under the umbrella of Protect Coastal Sussex (PCS).

 

These WRs were submitted on 28th February, 2024, for the ExA Deadline 1.  They encapsulate critical local community perspectives supported by evidence on the proposed Rampion 2 development.

 

We appreciated material in the ADC statutory Local Impact Report and Principal Areas of Disagreement Statement (PADS). 

 

Attached to this correspondence, you will see the full versions of the three substantive representations, each provided in separate PDF files with accompanying summaries:

 

WR-1:              Local Impact Assessment (LIA)

WR-2:              Due Diligence on claims about the performance, benefits, and impacts

WR-3:              Consideration of Alternatives in the Rampion 2 Examination

 

Additionally, a concise overview of key aspects for each WR is offered on one page (one for each WR) in Attachment 1.

 

Drawing from the evidence presented in these representations, we wish to highlight some overriding considerations that we believe merit careful attention:

 

1.       Compliance with Obligations: We question whether Rampion 2 is in breach of international treaty obligations and aligned UK national policy and law, particularly considering the European Convention on Landscapes (ECL) as interpreted by the Government’s Offshore Energy SEA (OESEA-4).
2. Assessment of Tradeoffs:  That the adverse effects of Rampion 2 outweigh the national benefits, considering all metrics of benefit as outlined in the relevant National Policy Statements (NPS, Energy).
3. Impact on Sustainable Development:That Rampion 2 poses an unacceptably high risk of undermining rather than advancing the achievement of sustainable development on the Sussex coast and affected inland areas, including designated landscapes.
4. Assessment of Alternatives: Our assessment of alternatives, utilizing NPS policy-relevant indicators, suggests those Alternatives offer greater value than the £3-4 billion capital outlay Rampion 2 would require, without incurring the same high economic, social and environmental opportunity costs.

 

Apart from the potential breach of the European Convention of Landscapes and the new Levelling up and Regeneration Act (2023) that increased the protection of National Parks by making it an active duty for Rampion 2 to further the statutory functions of the South Downs National Park (according to Natural England as we cite, rather than only take note of them), we see no net biodiversity gains either in the marine or terrestrial settings, rather the opposite.  

 

We refer to various PAD Statements by statutory consultees to support that conclusion.

 

We also see a significant adverse impact on the south coast tourism sector over time, which we attempt to simply quantify by proxy.  And we offer clear evidence that refutes the Applicant's methods and claims there would be no adverse impact on the tourism economy. 

 

We trust that the information and evidence presented in our representations will be considered in the Council's ongoing interactions with the Rampion 2 ExA in the coming months, leading up to August 2024 completion of this Examination.

 

Respectfully,

 

The Secretary

Protect Coastal Sussex (PCS) 

Member of the Rampion 2 Community Project Liaison Group

 

On behalf of PCS Co-Chairs:

Chris Lee, Aldwick

Melanie Jones, Middleton on Sea

Lawrence Haas, Littlehampton

Meera Smethurst, Cowfold

1- Overview Attachment - One page summaries of 3 PCS Written Representations to the Rampion 2 ExA

Protect Coastal Sussex WR1 Local Impact Assessment_28 Feb 2024_2

PCS WR2- Due Dilligence on Applicants claims on benefits and impacts of Rampion 2 - 28 Feb 2024  Circulation

PCS WR3 - Consideration of Alternatives in the Rampion 2 Examination 28 Feb 2024 Circulation

January 2024

Our project newsletter for the Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm development, which includes latest news, details of our proposals, a project timeline and information for suppliers is on our website with a version which is responsive to devices, at https://rampion2.com/newsletter/january-2024/. 

As referenced in the newsletter, the examination of our development consent order (DCO) application will begin next week, with the Preliminary Meeting and Open Floor Hearing being held on 6^th February in Brighton, followed by Issue Specific Hearings on environmental matters from 7^th – 9^th February.  Anyone can observe the events either in person, livestream online, or watch a recording after the event.  However, you must register in advance if you wish to participate.  For further information, please visit https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/rampion-2.

 

September 2023

I am writing to inform you that on 7^th September, the Rampion 2 Development Consent Order (DCO) application for an offshore wind farm off the coast of Sussex, was accepted for examination by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate.

We have carried out a huge programme of engagement and consultation over the past three years and have subsequently made changes to the project proposals in response to feedback from statutory consultees and the Sussex community and we thank the local communities in Sussex for taking the time to provide feedback on the project proposals to date.

             

The application being examined includes detailed proposals for the Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm, the final Environmental Statement which sets out potential impacts and mitigations, and a Consultation Report which details the engagement and consultations carried out over the past three years and how the Project Team has taken account of the feedback received.

Situated to the west of the existing Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, Rampion 2, if consented, would include up to 90 turbines a minimum of eight miles offshore. An offshore export cable route would bring the power ashore under Climping Beach on the coast, and the underground cable route would continue inland to a new substation called Oakendene near Cowfold, then finally connect the power to the national electricity network at Bolney in Mid Sussex.

The Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm could generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of over one million homes and reduce carbon emissions by around 1.8 million tonnes. This means Rampion and Rampion 2 combined could power the equivalent of all of the homes in Sussex, twice over.

Now that the DCO application is accepted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate, in accordance with Section 56 of the Planning Act 2008, the Rampion 2 Project Team will publicise Notices of the accepted application in local and national newspapers, setting out how the community can register their opinions with the Planning Inspectorate.  The public will be able to view the final proposals and register as an ‘interested party’ with the Planning Inspectorate at the Project Page of the Planning Inspectorate website at Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm | National Infrastructure Planning (planninginspectorate.gov.uk). Anyone wishing to be kept informed or to participate in the examination can register at the same website.

The Examination process is expected to take six months, and a final decision on whether consent will be granted will be made by the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero by early 2025.

 

Many thanks,

 

Chris

 

Chris Tomlinson

Development & Stakeholder Manager
M+44 (0)7815 141 008

mailto: chris.tomlinson.extern@rwe.com

 

July 2023

Project Liaison Group Meeting Presentation

Project Liaison Group Meeting Minutes

June 2023

Rampion 2 has consulted on four occasions over a two-year period, during which a number of onshore cable route options have been considered.  The preferred route will take power from the landfall at Climping Beach to the connection point at Bolney National Grid Substation.

Our non-statutory consultation in January/February 2021 introduced an initial scoping boundary or ‘area of search’ for the onshore cable route.  Our statutory, project-wide consultation from July-September 2021 included a proposed cable route.  Having listened to feedback, we embarked on a second statutory consultation dedicated to potential onshore cable route alternatives, which ran in October/November 2022.  Having considered the response to this consultation, we ran one further consultation on the cable route, exploring a single short alternative known as ‘1d’.

The Rampion Team would like to thank the Sussex community for their input over the last three years, helping to finalise the cable route to be included in the Development Consent Order (DCO) application, which will be submitted later this summer.

The map below shows the extent of the alternative options, now greyed out, which were consulted upon along the way.  The blue line represents our final cable route and the red lines show operational or temporary construction access routes and construction compounds.

 

 

The final cable route decision was influenced by consultation feedback from statutory bodies, landowners, local residents and businesses, alongside our ongoing engineering and environmental work.  Our goal throughout, has been to identify a cable route which best meets the needs of local communities, wildlife and the environment, while providing a technically feasible and economic connection solution.

The longest section of the route where alternatives were consulted upon ran from Lyminster to Sullington Hill. Having considered feedback from our consultation, the Eastern Route, also known as ‘Longer Alternative Cable Route 1’ has been selected.  This was principally in order to protect ecology, avoiding the Warningcamp Hill and New Down Wildlife Site, and Ancient Woodland.  It also reflects feedback raised during consultations with the villages of Crossbush, Burpham and Wepham. 

At the northern end of the Eastern Route on the approach to Sullington Hill, a further alternative option, ‘1d’, consulted on in February and March this year, has been selected to reconnect to the original route at Sullington Hill.  This option has less impact on business, affects fewer hedgerows and is a more direct route.

 

The map below shows the final cable route without the previously considered options. 

 

The Rampion 2 DCO application will be submitted this summer and once accepted by the Planning Inspectorate it will be examined before a decision on approval is made by the Secretary of State.  Should consent be granted construction could start end 2026/early 2027, with the wind farm fully operational before the end of the decade, helping meet the UK’s increased target for a five-fold increase in offshore wind capacity by 2030.

 

The proposed Rampion 2 wind farm could generate up to 1,200 megawatts, enough to power over 1 million homes, meaning Rampion and Rampion 2 combined will be able to power the equivalent of all of the homes in Sussex, twice over.

 

Many thanks,

 

Chris

 

Chris Tomlinson

Development & Stakeholder Manager
M+44 (0)7815 141 008

mailto: chris.tomlinson.extern@rwe.com