Over the Sea and Far Away? A Consideration of the Planning, Politics and Public Perception of Offshore Wind Farms

This paper is about the politics, planning, and public perceptions associated with offshore wind farms. Although only half the applications for onshore wind farms are successful in England and Wales, the latest round of offshore applications have had far higher rates of consent. But is it simply the case that siting wind farms offshore solves the problems that onshore applications encounter? This paper argues that many of the same problems are experienced by both onshore and offshore wind farms, albeit in slightly different ways; and that these need to be addressed if the promised expansion in offshore wind is to be delivered. This paper draws together the research and evidence relating to onshore and offshore wind developments, exploring this with the emerging research on public perceptions of offshore wind farms, and initial empirical evidence from a proposed wind farm off the coast of North Wales. It concludes with some remarks about the potential for offshore wind around the UK, considers the role of spatial planning, and discusses issues for policy and planning that must be addressed if the Government's ambitious targets are to be achieved.