To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail (i) the options that exist for creating an offshore windfarm; and (ii) the difference in cost between these and the options that exist for an onshore windfarm.

My Department established the Offshore Renewable Energy Action Plan (OREAP) Steering Group to develop an action plan to deliver offshore renewable energy in the north.

Working collaboratively across various government departments and with partner organisations, officials have developed a draft OREAP. The Draft OREAP aims to enable the deployment of 1GW of offshore energy in our marine area from 2030.

As you are aware Planning is within the remit of the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), therefore my Department does not hold the cost information you have requested. DfI have provided me with the following information in relation to your question:

Planning fees are prescribed under the Planning (Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, and schedule 2 of this sets out the fee levels by category of development (Scales of Fees)

Currently, fees for onshore windfarms are considered under Category 6 ‘The erection, alteration or replacement of plant and machinery including telecommunications/data communications equipment, a single wind turbine and wind farms’.

The fee payable is calculated as such: (a) where the site area does not exceed 5 hectares, £409 for each 0.1 hectare of the site area; (b) where the site area exceeds 5 hectares, £20,450; and an additional £121 for each 0.1 hectare in excess of 5 hectares, subject to a maximum in total of £304,316