Research and analysis

Review of consents for major energy infrastructure projects

This Stage 1 report reviews the impact of consents for energy Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) on Special Protection Areas (SPAs) - protected sites for birds.

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Details

This review of consents for energy projects consented under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) regime is required to assess whether the consented projects will have a likely significant effect on newly designated, and extensions to existing designated, protected sites for birds. The site are called Special Protection Areas (SPAs).

The report is the first stage of the Habitats Regulations Assessment process and seeks to identify which consents need to be included in the next stage - the Appropriate Assessment.

The projects identified are mainly offshore wind farms which could have an impact on the newly designated sites because of the way birds from the protected sites might interact with those developments.

Updates to this page

Published 20 May 2021

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