1 st
project of its kind in Ireland
Sustainability
Arklow Bank Wind Park Operations & Maintenance Facility
Consisting of a state-of-the-art purpose-built Operations & Maintenance Facility (OMF), this project will act as a support base for both the onshore and offshore elements of the Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2.
SSE Renewables appointed us to provide planning, environmental assessment reports, building and quayside infrastructure design services.
The base will be used to control, operate and maintain the wind farm over its operational lifetime. Located on the top floor of the Operations & Maintenance Facility is a Sustainable Education Centre, which intends to serve as a point of connection between the offshore wind farm, the operations and the community.
Key details
- Project name: Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2 Operations & Maintenance Facility
- Client: SSE Renewables
- Location: Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Ireland
Services provided: Planning, environmental reports, infrastructure design
Planning permission received: June 2022
Challenge
The client SSE Renewables required planning advice, preparation of the Planning Report and the planning application. We also managed the environmental reports that were submitted, including the Environmental Impact Assessment Report, the Natura Impact Statement and the Flood Risk Assessment Report.
A key challenge was ensuring an integrated design between the Operations & Maintenance Facility (OMF) and the required quayside infrastructure, including the associated berthing pontoons, allowing for a connection between the two.
Solution
We overcame the challenge of integrating the design of the Operations & Maintenance Facility (OMF) and the quayside infrastructure through close communication with the client SSE Renewables and our teams. Before any design work was undertaken, we held in-depth discussions around the nature of the Operations & Maintenance activities. These discussions then informed the final design, ensuring maximum integration and connection between all elements of the project.
In keeping with Arklow’s goals as a decarbonisation zone, we designed the OMF as a Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB), with the small amount of energy required provided by renewable sources produced on site or nearby. Part of the design also included a Sustainable Education Centre. Located on the top floor of the OMF, this centre is intended to act as a point of connection between the offshore wind farm, the operations and the wider community.
Impact
Due to our work in conjunction with the client SSE Renewables, Wicklow County Council granted planning permission to develop an Operations & Maintenance Facility (OMF) at South Dock, Arklow Harbour.
We provided planning advice throughout this process, as well as preparing both the planning report and the planning application. This landmark decision is an historic first for Ireland’s offshore wind sector. It means SSE Renewables is the first renewable energy company to secure planning permission to develop such infrastructure for an Irish offshore wind farm.
Key statistics
1
Sustainable Education Centre
80
Jobs
Net Zero
Carbon Emissions
