First Flight Wind has been carrying out extensive stakeholder engagement as well as survey and zone assessment work in order to establish the location and design of a potential offshore wind farm off the Co. Down coast, Northern Ireland.
First Flight Wind has determined that a project of 300 – 400 MW is best able to minimise potential impacts on some existing activities including shipping and commercial fisheries. Their engagement with key shipping stakeholders has highlighted concerns about placing a project close to the Warrenpoint-Heysham route, which they will now seek to avoid. In addition, they recognise that coast of Co. Down hosts some very important Nephrops fisheries. They are therefore proposing to limit where possible, encroachment on such key Nephrops fishing grounds. With this information they will continue to work towards further refining where they could locate a 300-400MW project.
