Ayre Offshore Wind Farm Reaches Major Milestone with Onshore Planning Consent

Ayre Offshore Wind Farm has reached an important project milestone after securing planning consent for its onshore infrastructure from The Highland Council.

The decision allows the 1GW floating offshore wind project to continue progressing through the development process and marks a significant step towards construction.

Located approximately 30km off the east coast of Orkney and north-east of Caithness, Ayre Offshore Wind Farm is being developed by international renewable energy company Qair. Once operational, the project is expected to generate enough clean electricity to power more than 1.2 million homes.

The approved onshore works include infrastructure required to connect the offshore wind farm to the national transmission network, supporting the delivery of renewable energy from the north of Scotland.

Ewan Walker, Project Director for Ayre Offshore Wind Farm, said:

“This is an important development for the Ayre project. The onshore planning consent moves us a significant step closer to delivering clean energy at scale from the north of Scotland, while also contributing to UK government targets.

The project is expected to create opportunities for local supply chains and skilled jobs across the region during both construction and long-term operations. We remain committed to working closely with local communities, stakeholders and supply chain partners to deliver this project.”

Alongside the onshore planning process, consultation on the offshore consent application submitted to the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate has also recently concluded.

Subject to all necessary consents being granted, Ayre Offshore Wind Farm is expected to become operational in the early 2030s.

As one of the UK’s flagship floating offshore wind developments, Ayre aims to play an important role in supporting Scotland’s renewable energy ambitions, strengthening energy security and creating lasting regional benefits.