Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Community Benefit Fund – Public Consultation FAQs

The purpose of the consultation is to:

• Ensure local people and local groups have the opportunity to participate in how the Community Benefit Funds (CBF), comprising the Substation CBF and the Annual CBF, are established
• Communicate the funding boundary where the CBF investment is most likely to be spent
• Understand local priorities and needs to deliver meaningful social, environmental, educational and economic benefits
• Clarify the types of projects and organisations the CBF will support
• Clarify the size of grants the CBF will support

There are two areas of benefit within the consultation.

A. Substation CBF Area

The first area is the Substation Fund area. This fund is anticipated to open for applications during the construction phase of the project, which is expected to be in 2027 at the earliest, and will support communities within a defined radius of the onshore substation located near Newton-with-Scales, Kirkham and Freckleton.

B. Annual CBF Area
The second area is across a wider area and stretches across large parts of Blackpool and Fylde, and some small areas in Preston and South Ribble. The northern boundary of the Annual CBF area adjoins the southern boundary of a separate CBF associated with another offshore wind farm, (the Walney Extension Community Benefit Fund).

In 2025, the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero published guidance on community funds for transmission infrastructure. This guidance applies specifically to above-ground electricity transmission infrastructure, and the Substation CBF has been designed around this and its location.

Community funds for transmission infrastructure (accessible webpage) – GOV.UK

For the Substation CBF, up to £530,000 will be available during the construction phase of the project. This fund will support communities within a defined radius of the onshore substation located near Newton-with-Scales, Kirkham and Freckleton. It is anticipated that the majority, if not all, of the funding will be spent during the construction period.

Once the project is operational, an annual CBF of up to £200,000 will be available for each year of the windfarm’s operation across the wider CBF area.

The Substation Fund will be made available during the construction phase of the project. As set out in the application for development consent, it is anticipated that the maximum construction period for the Morecambe project will be 30 months.

Once the project is complete and operational, a further Annual CBF of up to £200,000 will be available across the wider CBF area.

Yes. The entire wider area – including the zone covered by the Substation Fund – will be able to apply to the Annual CBF, provided their project meets the eligibility criteria set for that Fund.

The Substation Fund and the Annual CBF will be funded by Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Ltd.

Whilst the government issued new guidance in March 2025, which sets out the government’s expectations for how communities that live near onshore electricity transmission infrastructure developments should benefit from them, there is currently no statutory requirement for developers to provide community benefit funding. The CBF is a voluntary commitment that forms part of the Morecambe Offshore Windfarm’s community engagement framework.

The consultation began in March 2026, and will run until October, starting with a first stage online survey that closes on 22 May 2026.

October 2026

The consultation process has three stages:

1. Online survey

Stage One of the consultation process will be an online public survey that will run for three months starting in March  and closing on 22 May 2026. The survey has 17 questions and will take no more than 20 minutes to complete.

2. Meetings with key stakeholders

Stage Two will involve meetings with key stakeholders such as Local Authorities, voluntary and community infrastructure organisations and Parish/ Town Councils to discuss the findings of the Stage One survey. These meetings are expected to be held in late September 2026.

3. Public events

In October 2026, there will be a number of local public drop-in events (and virtual, online events for those who cannot attend the drop-in events).  These sessions are open to anyone who would like to learn more about the funds or discuss potential project ideas.

Details of venues, location, dates and times will be published on GrantScape’s websites in June 2026 at this link www.grantscape.org.uk/fund/mowcbf-public-consultation/

The online survey closed on 22 May.

Yes. We can ask you the questions over the phone and populate the survey for you. Please call 01908 247630. Alternatively, we’d be happy to post a paper copy of the survey for you to complete and return.

You do not need to book a place at the in-person public events. These will be drop-in events, meaning you can come along at any time between the published opening hours. For the virtual events, booking will be required. Details of these events, including how to book a place at the virtual sessions, will be available on GrantScape’s website by April 2026.

We will be happy to take contact details of all groups who have expressed an interest in the funds and add you to a mailing list to receive future updates on the consultation process and when the fund goes live.

Yes, at the end of the process there will be a public report summarising all stages of the consultation and the key findings.

Defining a clear geographic boundary is essential to ensure that funding is directed toward communities most closely associated with the project and to maintain a manageable and transparent grant-making process.

The boundary has been designed to prioritise communities in proximity to the project’s infrastructure and to avoid overlap with areas already benefiting from established offshore wind community funds.

This approach reflects established models used successfully for offshore wind community funds elsewhere in the UK.

We are happy to accept views from stakeholders and the community who believe there is a fundamental or strategic reason as to why the proposed areas of benefit might require further consideration.

It is important to consult with stakeholders across the entire benefit area at this early stage, as there may be factors that influence how both parts of the CBF is developed and defined. Engaging now ensures that the structure of the fund reflects community priorities from the outset, rather than being shaped in isolation.

The consultation area for the Morecambe Offshore Windfarm CBF is defined by a map that can be found on GrantScape website at this link www.grantscape.org.uk/fund/mowcbf-public-consultation/

The Morecambe Offshore Windfarm is not named after the Lancashire seaside town, it takes its name from the offshore windfarm lease area awarded in the Crown Estate’s Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 in 2021, which is situated in the vicinity of the South Morecambe Gas Fields.

Yes, anyone is welcome to participate. You may be from an organisation located outside of the boundary that can deliver community services within, so any feedback is important.

It is anticipated that the Substation CBF will open to applications in 2027 at the earliest, and will support communities within a defined radius of the onshore substation located near Newton-with-Scales, Kirkham and Freckleton.

It is anticipated that the Annual CBF will open for applications once the project is complete and operational. As set out in the application for development consent, the Morecambe project is expected to be fully operational by 2030 at the earliest.

Proximity to the development will not influence the assessment of grant applications. All eligible applications will be judged on their individual merits and the benefits they bring to communities within the designated fund areas. The only geographical requirement is that projects must be for the benefit of communities within the agreed areas for the relevant CBF.

This has not yet been determined.

A local Advisory Panel/s (APs) will be established to help determine how the funding is allocated. As part of the consultation process, we are identifying local representatives from key organisations, as well as individuals living or working within the funding zones, who may be suitable to join the Advisory Panel/s. The Morecambe project will not be part of the decision-making process on how the funding will be allocated.