The developer of the Bellrock Offshore Wind Farm has submitted Section 36 Consent and Marine Licence applications to Scottish Ministers for the project’s Wind Farm Development Area.
Bellrock Offshore Wind Farm Limited, wholly owned by Nadara, is proposing a large scale floating offshore wind project located in the central North Sea, 120 kms east of Stonehaven. If consented, the project would have the capacity to generate up to 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of renewable electricity, making Bellrock one of the largest floating offshore wind projects proposed in UK waters.
The submission follows three years of development work, including environmental baseline surveys, engineering design and extensive engagement with statutory consultees, local communities, industry stakeholders and the offshore wind supply chain.
Project scope
The Bellrock project forms part of Crown Estate Scotland’s ScotWind leasing round and is aligned with Scottish and UK ambitions to accelerate clean power deployment. Once operational, Bellrock will support progress towards net zero targets while helping to deliver a secure, domestically produced supply of renewable electricity.
The consent applications cover the Wind Farm Development Area, within which the project’s generating infrastructure will be constructed including:
- Up to 132 floating wind turbine generators;
- Floating substructures with mooring lines, anchors and associated scour protection;
- Inter array cables and associated cable protection;
- Subsea cable hubs; and
- Supporting offshore infrastructure required for safe and efficient operation.
Environmental assessment
A comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report has been submitted alongside the applications. The assessment considers potential effects across a wide range of topics, including offshore ornithology, marine mammals, commercial fisheries, shipping and navigation, marine archaeology and cultural heritage, climate change risk, and socio economics, tourism and recreation.
Through careful site selection, design refinement and the adoption of embedded mitigation measures, the Bellrock Wind Farm Development Area has been shown to have very low environmental impact for a development of its scale.
Jobs, investment and supply chain impact
As a large-scale floating offshore wind development, Bellrock has the potential to deliver substantial long-term socioeconomic benefits at local, regional and national level.
During development and construction, the Bellrock project is committed to spending over £1.5 billion in the Scottish supply chain.
Construction of the Bellrock Wind Farm Infrastructure is expected to support a peak workforce of more than 2,500 jobs in Scotland and over 3,800 jobs across the UK, spanning manufacturing, engineering, marine services and construction. Workforce spending is also expected to support wider economic activity in sectors such as retail, hospitality and services, particularly in communities supporting the project.
The project will also support high-quality, skilled jobs and continued economic benefit throughout the operational life of the wind farm.
David Robertson, Portfolio Director, Scotland at Nadara, said: 'Submitting the Bellrock Wind Farm Development Area consent application is a major milestone, not just for the project but for Scotland’s floating offshore wind sector.
'Bellrock represents a significant opportunity to translate offshore wind ambition into real economic value – supporting thousands of jobs, driving investment into the Scottish supply chain and helping to secure long-term, high-quality employment for decades to come.
'By progressing a project of this scale, we can strengthen Scotland’s industrial base, support growth across manufacturing, engineering and marine services, and play a meaningful role in delivering the UK’s transition to secure, home-grown clean energy.'
Next steps
The applications will now be considered by Scottish Ministers. Subject to consent, the Bellrock Wind Farm Development Area would progress to detailed design and further supply chain engagement ahead of a construction programme expected to commence in 2031.
Source: Bellrock Offshore Wind
