The production of tidal energy on the Isle of Wight is a step closer as plans have been submitted again to build a substation in Ventnor.
Permission was previously granted in 2015 for the onshore elements of the Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre (PTEC) to be built at Flowers Brook, Steephill Road.
However, due to delays in changes to government policy and funding challenges, the planning permission lapsed.
PTEC still holds the offshore consents needed for the project, granted by the Marine Management Organisation, so it is just the planning permission which is needed to build the onshore infrastructure before the project can begin.
The Southern Water pumping station site where PTEC are proposing to add its onshore facilities. (Picture: modh Design)
With renewed government support for tidal stream power, PTEC is now seeking consent for a substation, control room, outdoor transformer compound, welfare facilities, cable installation and the possible use of horizontal directional drilling, but in a different layout.
Previously the buildings were going to be built on land owned by the Red Squirrel Trust but a reconfiguration at Flowers Brook will see the facilities built on Southern Water land instead.
The water company has confirmed its support of the project in a letter to the Isle of Wight Council’s planning department, with Mark Johnson, its property asset manager, saying they look forward to seeing the exciting project come to fruition.
Planning documents say if permission is granted, they plan to start construction from 2023 and be operational by 2025.
They also say the design of the substation has been designed with landscaping, visual appearance and noise in mind.
It has looked at sympathetic planning options like turf roofing to reduce the visual impact, with cables connecting to the substation underground which will not be visible.
The state of the art tidal turbines will be placed 2.5km south of St Catherine’s Point and nearly 6km from Ventnor.
The PTEC project will have the capacity to produce 30 megawatts of clean, renewable energy, which is enough to power 15,000 homes.
At the start of the project, the Isle of Wight Council loaned the company £1 million to help set it up and obtain licences but later turned down loaning it a further £244,000 to help it secure further funding.
The authority also agreed to selling up to two-thirds of its shares and stepping down from the PTEC board.
In a survey conducted before officially submitting the application, PTEC found, of the people that responded, 87 per cent supported the development of renewable energy and 77 per cent considered tidal energy to be an important future source of green energy.
However, only 55 per cent of respondents supported the PTEC project, with concerns raised about the potential impact on marine life and the fishing industry.
To view the planning application, 21/01623/FUL, you can visit the council’s planning register. Comments will be accepted until September 27.
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