The United Kingdom government has advanced its commitment to renewable energy by granting a series of Development Consent Orders (DCOs) for RWE-Masdar offshore wind projects. Two major projects, collectively known as Dogger Bank South West and Dogger Bank South East, have received approval for development off the north-east coast. Additionally, a separate project, North Falls, located in the southern North Sea, has also secured the necessary consent.
Alan Whitehead, acting on behalf of the secretary of state for energy security and net zero, Ed Miliband, formally issued the DCOs for the Dogger Bank South projects. These developments, a collaborative effort between German energy company RWE and Abu Dhabi’s Masdar, are set to contribute a combined 3 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy capacity. RWE holds a 51% stake in the venture, with Masdar holding the remaining 49%.
The proposed sites for these turbines are situated more than 100 kilometers off the north-east coast of England. The scope of the DCOs includes the necessary offshore and onshore infrastructure, such as cables and substations, required to connect the wind farms to the National Grid. The application for the DCO was initially submitted in June 2024 and subsequently underwent a statutory examination process. This process involved public hearings and the submission of evidence, leading the Planning Inspectorate to recommend consent in October 2025. Both Dogger Bank South projects had previously secured Contracts for Difference (CfDs) during the UK government’s Allocation Round 7 earlier this year, a crucial step in de-risking project financing.
Following these approvals, RWE and Masdar have indicated plans to proceed with detailed final design and procurement activities. The developers are targeting a final investment decision for these UK offshore wind projects by 2027.
In parallel, a joint venture involving RWE and SSE has obtained planning consent for the North Falls offshore wind farm. This project is envisioned as an extension to the existing Greater Gabbard offshore wind array located in the southern North Sea. The DCO permits the construction of up to 57 turbines, along with their associated foundations and up to two offshore substations.
North Falls will be positioned approximately 40 kilometers from the East Anglia coastline at its closest point. While final designs are still being settled, the project is expected to achieve a nameplate capacity of around 1GW. According to RWE and SSE, the North Falls wind farm will seek a future CfD award before making a final investment decision. Developers estimate that North Falls could potentially supply clean electricity to “hundreds of thousands” of homes, dependent on the final determination of its capacity.
The granting of these DCOs for the RWE-Masdar offshore wind projects follows the formal examination procedure mandated by the Planning Act 2008. With the consents now in place, both the Dogger Bank South projects and North Falls will transition into the detailed design and procurement phases. The developers anticipate that further project financing decisions will be made over the next 18 to 24 months. RWE and its partners are specifically aiming for final investment decisions for the Dogger Bank South pair by 2027, reinforcing the significant momentum in the UK offshore wind sector.
