We are currently at a very early stage in the project and one of the next steps will be for us to carry out initial site surveys and engage with local people, communities, businesses, and other people interested in the project to hear what they have to say and listen to their feedback.
We are currently undertaking aerial bird and marine mammal surveys within the Option Area, which are carried out using light aircraft, and will conduct further survey work in 2023 and 2024 to gather more detailed information about the ground conditions, as well as wind, wave, and tidal conditions. This detailed information will be gathered in two ways:
- Using a small number of metocean buoys (which look like navigation buoys) that will be moored within the Option Area and at locations on the proposed cable export route; and
- Using large vessels that will traverse the Option Area and proposed cable export route, to gather data about the seabed ground conditions.
Once we have gathered our survey data and carried out other assessments, we will be able to carry out our environmental impact assessment (which will form a key part of our planning application).
We hope to submit our application for planning consent around the mid-2020’s, which would enable us to start construction in the mid-to-late 2020s.