The development of offshore wind farms around the English and Welsh coasts is accelerating in response to the climate emergency. Developments coming forward are very large- upto 400m high turbines (the Shard is 305m tall). In response to the Crown Estate bidding process, Suffolk County Council have employed White Consultants to undertake a strategic study to define seascape sensitivity and buffers to help guide the location and design of development offshore from the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB. This project applies the findings of the 2019/2020 offshore energy strategic environmental assessment seascape background study to the study area with buffers for different heights of turbines.

This report will be used by the client to respond to scheme applications and it is hoped that the Crown Estate, developers and decision-makers will take this assessment into account to build wind farms in the optimum locations.

Client: Suffolk County Council, Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB Partnership, East Suffolk Council.