Scoping report submitted for offshore Scotland MachairWind project
ScottishPower Renewables has submitted the environmental impact assessment (EIA) scoping report for the proposed 2-GW MachairWind development offshore western Scotland to Scotland’s government.
Separate scoping reports and EIAs will be undertaken as part of the consent process for both the onshore and offshore transmission development areas for MachairWind, which have yet to be defined.
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ScottishPower Renewables, part of Iberdrola, has submitted the environmental impact assessment (EIA) scoping report for the proposed 2-GW MachairWind development offshore western Scotland to Scotland’s government.
Requesting a formal "scoping opinion" from the Marine Directorate, the offshore planning authority, is a necessary step toward preparation of the EIA for the project. The planning application will likely be submitted in early 2026.
The scoping report covers the development area of the seabed northwest of Islay and west of Colonsay that will accommodate up to 147 wind turbines and foundations and the power cables connecting the turbines.
ScottishPower Renewables has reduced the planned area from 754 sq km to 510 sq km, and the extent could be refined further as the plans develop.
The report lists environmental information based on publicly available data, site-specific surveys and studies, and feedback from Argyll & Bute Council, NatureScot, Historic Environment Scotland, RSPB Scotland, and organizations representing commercial fisheries.
It sets out topics that would be assessed as part of the EIA, including the impact on the seascape and landscape, offshore ornithology, marine mammals, commercial fisheries, and shipping and navigation.
