The route of cables for the planned extension of the Rampion wind farm have been released.
The project, which will build upon the current wind farm set between Littlehampton and Brighton, is now consulting on how best to connect the farm to a substation in Cowfold.
The current route would stretch from Littlehampton to the substation by cutting through Arundel, Washington and areas of the South Downs.
Chris Tomlinson, development and stakeholder manager for the Rampion 2 project, said: “The electricity cable installation from the wind farm to the new electricity substation would be a temporary impact during construction, as all cables would be buried underground.
“The Rampion 2 team are committed to reinstate the land back to its former condition as soon as possible after our works.
“Where we can improve the route and implement measures to further reduce those temporary impacts, we will strive to do so.”
It is estimated that the wind farm could reduce carbon emissions by around 1.8 million tonnes per year.
The initial Rampion wind farm was first finished in 2018. The more than 70 square kilometre development generates around 1,400 GWh of electricity to roughly half the homes in Sussex.
The proposed area for the Rampion 2 turbines is roughly around 270 square kilometres.
RWE, the company behind the project, say that the work needed to construct these cables would take around 18 to 20 weeks. The full construction timeline for the wind farm is estimated at around two and a half years.
A consultation period have now been launched on the route of the cables. Residents can have their say on the project online at Rampion2.com or at drop-in events in:
• Arundel Town Hall, Maltravers Street in Arundel, Tuesday, November 1, 1pm-8pm.
• Arun Yacht Club, Rope Walk in Littlehampton, Wednesday, November 2, 1pm-8pm.
• Ashurst Village Hall, The Street in Ashurst, Friday, November 11, 1-8pm.
• Washington Memorial Village Hall, School Lane in Washington, Saturday, November 12, 1pm-8pm.
Previous consultations for the project had been launched in 2020 and 2021.
Plans for the wind farm are expected to be submitted by the end of next year. If approved, the plans would see construction start around 2026, with the final project aiming to be operational “before the end of the decade”.
Consultation will last between Tuesday, October 18 and Tuesday, November 29.
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