Dogger Bank DCO split: new rules on noise and light

Here’s the simple version: the government has tweaked the planning permission for Dogger Bank Creyke Beck, the onshore grid connection for the offshore wind farm. From 21 November 2025, Projects A and B are treated separately in law, with clearer rules on noise, lighting, telecoms and end‑of‑life tasks.

Dates and source matter. The Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm (Amendment) Order 2025 was signed on 20 November 2025 by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and took effect the next day. It amends the original 2015 Development Consent Order under the Planning Act 2008 so requirements can be discharged and enforced on a project‑specific basis.

Quick definitions to keep in mind: a Development Consent Order (DCO) is the single planning permission used for nationally significant infrastructure. A non‑material change is a small adjustment that doesn’t reopen the whole project but still sets binding conditions the developer must meet.

What changed in structure: the order reshapes definitions so we have three buckets-Project A works, Project B works, and shared works. The converter station and compound for each project now sit in their own definitions, while other elements formerly grouped together (including parts of Work No. 7 and Works 10A–10F) are classed as shared.

Why this matters for accountability: the order names the responsible companies. Bizco 1 is tied to Project A duties; Bizco 4 is tied to Project B duties. That gives planners and residents a clear line of responsibility when conditions must be met or fixed.

Offshore safety and tidying up: if offshore structures for a project are abandoned or allowed to decay, the Secretary of State can require the relevant company to repair or remove them and to restore the site to a safe condition. For Project B, any removal that isn’t ordered under those powers also comes with a duty to restore the seabed after consulting the statutory nature conservation body.

Noise: the headline figure is 35 decibels. Both converter stations must meet operational noise levels of 35 dB, and the test is cumulative-A and B are judged together. The British Standard used is BS 4142 and the measurement points are four named homes: Halfway House (504796, 436331), Model Farm (504011, 436576), Poplar Farm (503727, 435672) and Wanlass Farm (504385, 435168).

What 35 dB means in everyday terms: this is a low sound level, roughly comparable to a quiet living room. BS 4142 looks at how industrial sound compares with the background at nearby dwellings, so the check is carried out where people live, not at the converter station fence.

Managing noisy maintenance: any standby generator testing linked to Project B’s onshore works is limited to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Saturday. There is no testing on Sundays or public or bank holidays unless the planning authority agrees in writing.

Light at night: Project B’s converter station cannot start operating until a written scheme to manage and mitigate artificial light has been approved by the planning authority after consultation with the statutory nature conservation body. That scheme must then be implemented and kept in place during operation. Similar duties already apply to Project A and are now clearly labelled.

Fencing before use: permanent fencing for the Project A converter station must be completed before any part of it is used. Mirror requirements now apply for Project B and for the shared elements of Work No. 7, so fencing is finished before either project brings onshore infrastructure into use.

Protecting TV and telecoms: if operation of the onshore works and the shared works causes interference to home television or telecommunications, Bizco 1 must submit a remedy scheme for Project A and Bizco 4 must submit one for Project B. Each plan goes to the planning authority for approval and then must be delivered.

Decommissioning with a plan: no later than three months before stopping commercial operation, Bizco 1 has to propose how it will demolish and remove the Project A onshore works, and any shared works not needed for B, including timing and the final condition of the land. Bizco 4 has the same duty for Project B, while protecting what Project A still needs.

What did not change: this is not a new wind farm application. It is a tidy‑up of the 2015 consent so the two halves can be managed, monitored and enforced separately. The works numbers are reorganised in the definitions to reflect that split rather than to add new construction.

Study and use it: map the four grid references on an Ordnance Survey map, estimate how far each is from the converter station site, and discuss whether a 35 dB cap and a light‑management plan feel proportionate. If you live nearby, keep simple records of any noise, glare or reception issues and contact your planning authority-the order gives them explicit approval and enforcement powers tied to the named company for each half of the project.