Offshore wind projects in Wicklow face further delays as planning process continues
The Wicklow PeopleWicklow’s three major offshore wind projects remain in the planning system with extended timelines now stretching into 2026 and 2027, following updated information from government on the status of Ireland’s Phase 1 offshore wind programme.
The projects at Arklow Bank, Codling and Dublin Array represent the core of Wicklow’s contribution to national renewable energy targets, but all three are still awaiting determinations from An Coimisiún Pleanála as further‑information requests continue to shape the process.
In a recent parliamentary reply to Wicklow Wexford TD Brian Brennan, Climate Minister Darragh O’Brien confirmed that the five phase one offshore wind farms on the east coast, including the three off Wicklow, are expected to receive their first planning decisions before the end of 2026, with the remainder following in 2027. Minister O’Brien said the projects are anticipated to move into procurement and construction by 2030 and to become operational in the early 2030s, subject to approval. This updated timeline reflects the volume of additional information sought by the planning authority and marks a shift from earlier expectations that decisions would be issued in 2025.
Codling Wind Park, located off the Wicklow coast, is one of the largest renewable energy projects proposed in the state. The project is now working to a revised deadline of May 11 ,2026 to submit its response to a detailed further information request.
The request includes additional environmental analysis, updated modelling on marine species, and further assessment of operational interactions with maritime services. The extended deadline means that a planning decision is not expected until late 2026 or early 2027, placing the project within the minister’s revised schedule.
Arklow Bank Wind Park II, situated off the coast of Arklow, is also progressing through an extended planning process.
The project has received a substantial further‑information request focusing on its potential interaction with the Arklow sandbank, which is designated as an Annex I habitat. Developers have been asked to provide additional modelling and mitigation proposals. The deadline for responding has already been extended, and a decision is not expected until well into 2026. The project builds on the existing Arklow Bank infrastructure, where the first offshore turbines in Ireland were installed in the early 2000s.
Dublin Array, which spans the Dublin and Wicklow coastlines, remains under assessment following its own further‑information process. Observations and submissions are still being reviewed, and no decision date has been indicated. Although the project is shared between two counties, a significant portion of its offshore footprint lies off the Wicklow coast, making it a key component of the county’s offshore wind profile.
Wicklow County Council has been monitoring the progress of the offshore wind programme closely, as the three projects are expected to have long‑term implications for local infrastructure, coastal activity and economic development.
The council has participated in consultations and has engaged with developers on issues relating to harbour capacity, transport links and potential community benefits. While the planning decisions rest with national authorities, council officials are expected to play a central role in coordinating onshore elements once the projects move into active construction and operation.
Preparatory work linked to the offshore developments is continuing in Wicklow. Arklow remains the proposed location for an operations and maintenance base associated with the offshore projects. Feasibility work, design studies and early‑stage planning processes are underway, although formal planning approval for a dedicated facility has not yet been issued.
The proposed base is expected to support long‑term servicing requirements once the offshore turbines are operational.
Developers have also continued community engagement and supply‑chain planning in Wicklow. Economic assessments indicate that the offshore wind projects could generate significant long‑term regional benefits, including employment during both construction and operational phases.
Local businesses in Arklow, Wicklow town and surrounding areas have been participating in information sessions and supply‑chain mapping exercises as part of preparations for future activity. Wicklow County Council has facilitated several of these engagements through its economic development and enterprise support structures.
At national level, the Government continues to advance the broader offshore wind programme. The Minister highlighted the December 2025 auction result that saw Helvick Head DAC, a consortium of ESB and Ørsted, secure a 900‑megawatt project off the Waterford coast. Work is also progressing on the second South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) site, known as Lí Ban, and on the National DMAP, which will guide offshore wind development beyond the initial Phase 1 projects.
For Wicklow, the updated timelines mean that the county’s offshore wind projects remain in a holding phase while developers prepare their further‑information responses.
The extended deadlines reflect the scale of environmental and technical assessment required for the first group of large‑scale offshore wind farms to enter Ireland’s new planning framework. The government maintains that the projects remain on track to contribute to national renewable energy targets within the next decade.