Muir Mhòr Offshore Wind Farm, located approximately 63 kilometres off the coast of Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, reached a key milestone with Aberdeenshire Council granting planning permission in principle for its onshore works in June 2025. The project will generate up to 1 GW of clean electricity, enough to power around 1.2 million homes each year.

The approved onshore infrastructure includes underground cabling and a substation to connect the offshore turbines to the National Grid. The application was approved by Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee following extensive consultation with local communities and stakeholders.

LUC acted as lead coordinator for the onshore Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and provided specialist input in relation to landscape, ecology, ornithology, GIS and visualisations. Our team ensured that environmental considerations were thoroughly assessed and integrated into the planning process, and coordinated with the offshore team throughout to ensure a consistent and robust approach to assessment.

The project will create jobs during construction, operation and maintenance, strengthen the local supply chain with multi-million-pound investment, and establish a community benefit fund shaped by local priorities. Muir Mhòr will also deliver skills development initiatives, including programmes starting in schools, contributing to long-term community growth.

Muir Mhòr represents the first fully floating offshore wind project from the ScotWind leasing round to receive onshore planning permission. The project aims to start generating clean power in the early 2030s, subject to offshore consent.

The project is a 50/50 joint venture between Fred. Olsen Seawind and Vattenfall, and forms a key part of the UK and Scottish Governments’ ambition to lead globally in floating wind energy. The name Muir Mhòr, meaning “Great Sea” in Gaelic, reflects the scale and impact of this renewable energy project.