Development consent order granted for Outer Dowsing offshore windfarm

The project, being developed by Corio Generation and TotalEnergies, is in the North Sea, east of Grimsby. The Secretary of State granted the DCO after a four-month delay.

A DCO decision on the Outer Dowsing windfarm was originally due to be made on 10 October 2025, but was delayed after further evidence was sought regarding the UK’s Habitats Regulations. Once operational, the project will bolster UK energy security, generating 1.5 GW of renewable power. 

Development consent was granted for up to 100 turbines, 53 km from the Lincolnshire Coast, with associated offshore and onshore infrastructure.

The developers claim the project has the potential for £2.0Bn (US$2.7Bn) of investment in the UK with thousands of jobs.

TotalEnergies UK country chair Nicolas Payer said, “TotalEnergies is delighted that the Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind project has reached this important milestone. TotalEnergies has been a long-term investor in this project, which will make a significant contribution to providing low-carbon power to homes and businesses across the UK.” Corio Generation head of Europe, Sharn Ward, said the consent award “comes after four years of hard work.”

The consent enables the construction of the offshore windfarm and associated infrastructure. Underground onshore cables will carry the power from the landfall site close to Anderby Marsh, north of Skegness, to a new onshore substation at Surfleet Marsh in South Lincolnshire.

The application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration by GT R4 Ltd, trading as Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind, on 19 March 2024 and accepted for examination on 16 April 2024.  

Following an examination during which the public, statutory consultees and interested parties were allowed to give evidence to the Examining Authority, recommendations were made to the Secretary of State on 10 July 2025.   

The decision was made by Lord Whitehead on behalf of the Energy Secretary’s legal authority.