The Hornsea Four Offshore Wind Farm (Amendment) Order 2025

Statutory Instruments

2025 No. 485

Infrastructure Planning

The Hornsea Four Offshore Wind Farm (Amendment) Order 2025

Made

11th April 2025

Coming into force

14th April 2025

An application has been made, under paragraph 2 of Schedule 6 to the Planning Act 2008(1), to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Infrastructure Planning (Changes to, and Revocation of, Development Consent Orders) Regulations 2011(2) (“the 2011 Regulations”) for non-material changes to the Hornsea Four Offshore Wind Farm Order 2023(3).

The Secretary of State, having considered the application, the responses to the publicity and consultation required by Regulations 6 and 7 of the 2011 Regulations 2011, has decided to make the changes on terms that in the opinion of the Secretary of State are not materially different from those proposed in the application.

Accordingly, the Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred by paragraphs 2(1) and (9) of Schedule 6 to the Planning Act 2008, makes the following Order—

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Hornsea Four Offshore Wind Farm (Amendment) Order 2025 and comes into force on 14th April 2025.

Amendment to the Hornsea Four Offshore Wind Farm Order 2023

2.  The Hornsea Four Offshore Wind Farm Order 2023 (“ the 2023 Order”) is amended as follows.

Amendment to Part 1 of Schedule 16 to the 2023 Order

3.  In Schedule 16, part 1, paragraph 1 (offshore ornithology engagement group), substitute the definition of “the offshore compensation measures” with the following—

““the offshore compensation measures” means the offshore nesting structure;”.

Amendments to Part 3 of Schedule 16 to the 2023 Order

4.—(1) Part 3 of Schedule 16 to the 2023 Order (guillemot compensation) is amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph 10, for the words before sub-paragraph (a), substitute—

“10.   Following consultation with the H4 OOEG, the GCIMP must be submitted to the Secretary of State for approval in consultation with Natural England, the local planning authority and Alderney Wildlife Trust. The GCIMP must be based on the strategy for guillemot compensation set out in the guillemot and razorbill compensation plan (as relevant to guillemot) and include—”.

(3) Omit sub-paragraph 10(b).

(4) Substitute paragraph 11 with the following—

“11.   The undertaker must carry out the predator eradication method as set out in the GCIMP approved by the Secretary of State in consultation with Natural England, the Alderney Wildlife Trust and the local planning authority. Work No. 1(a) and 1(b), Work No. 2(a), 2(b) and (c) and Work No. 3(a) must not commence until the GCIMP has been approved by the Secretary of State in accordance with paragraph 10, and at least 2 years have elapsed since the start of the predator eradication works.”.

(5) Substitute paragraph 12 with the following—

“12.   The undertaker must notify the Secretary of State of completion of the predator eradication method set out in the GCIMP.”.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

John Wheadon

Head of Energy Infrastructure Planning Delivery & Innovation

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

11th April 2025

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Hornsea Four Offshore Wind Farm Order 2023, a development consent order under the Planning Act 2008, following an application made in accordance with the Infrastructure Planning (Changes to, and Revocation of, Development Consent Orders) Regulations 2011 for a non-material amendment under paragraph 2 of Schedule 6 to the Planning Act 2008. This Order amends paragraph 1 of Part 1 and paragraphs 10-12 of Part 3 of Schedule 16 to the 2023 Order relating to bycatch reduction measures.

(1)

2008 c. 29. Paragraph 2 was amended by paragraph 4 of Schedule 8 to the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23), by paragraphs 1 and 72 of Schedule 13 and Part 20 of Schedule 25 to the Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), and by section 28 of the Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7).

(2)

S.I. 2011/2055, as amended by S.I. 2012/635 and S.I. 2015/760. There are other amending instruments but none are relevant.

(3)

S.I. 2023/800 as amended by S.I 2024/117 and S.I 2024/800.