# The Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind Farm Order 2026, Paragraph 22: Pre-construction plans and documentation


(1) The licensed activities or any part of those activities must not commence until the following (as relevant to that part) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the MMO—
(a) A design plan, which includes—
(i) a plan at a scale of between 1:25,000 and 1:50,000, including detailed representation on the most suitably scaled admiralty chart, to be approved in writing by the MMO in consultation with Trinity House, the MCA, UKHO and the relevant statutory nature conservation body which shows—
(aa) the proposed location and choice of foundation of all offshore electrical installations and the offshore accommodation platform;
(bb) the grid coordinates of the centre point of the proposed location for each offshore electrical installation and offshore accommodation platform;
(cc) the length and arrangement of all cables comprising Work Nos. 5 and 11 and, to the extent that they are to be installed under this licence, Work No. 4;
(dd) the dimensions of all gravity base structure foundations;
(ee) the dimensions of all pin pile jacket foundations;
(ff) the dimensions of all suction bucket jacket foundations;
(gg) the dimensions of all monopile foundations;
(hh) the proposed layout of all offshore electrical installations and the offshore accommodation platform including any exclusion zones identified under condition 22(1)(g)(iv);
(ii) a plan showing the indicative layout of all offshore electrical installations and the offshore accommodation platform including all exclusion zones (insofar as not shown in (ix) above) and showing the indicative programming of particular works as set out in the indicative programme to be provided under condition 22(1)(b)(iii); and
(jj) any exclusion zones/environmental micrositing requirements;
to ensure conformity with the description of Work Nos. 2 to 8 and 11 and compliance with conditions 1 to 12 above; and
(ii) details of the design of the offshore reactive compensation platform, which must accord with the principles set out in the offshore reactive compensation platform design principles statement.
(b) A construction programme to include details of—
(i) the proposed construction start date;
(ii) proposed timings for mobilisation of plant delivery of materials and installation works;
(iii) an indicative written construction programme for all offshore electrical installations, the offshore accommodation platform and cables comprised in the works at paragraph 3 of Part 1 (licensed marine activities) of this licence (insofar as not shown in sub-paragraph (ii) above);
(c) A monitoring plan (which accords with the in principle monitoring plan) to include details of proposed pre-construction surveys, baseline report format and content, construction monitoring, post-construction monitoring and related reporting in accordance with conditions 26, 27 and 28 to be submitted to the MMO in accordance with the following—
(i) at least six months prior to the first survey, detail of the pre-construction surveys and an outline of all proposed monitoring;
(ii) at least six months prior to construction, detail of construction monitoring;
(iii) at least six months prior to completion of construction, detail of post-construction (and operational) monitoring;
unless otherwise agreed in writing with the MMO.
(d) A construction method statement in accordance with the construction methods assessed in the environmental statement, to be submitted to the MMO at least six months prior to commencement of licensed activities, and including details of—
(i) foundation installation methodology, including drilling methods and disposal of drill arisings and material extracted during seabed preparation for foundation works;
(ii) cable specification, installation and monitoring, in accordance with the outline cable specification and installation plan, to include—
(aa) technical specification of offshore cables below MHWS;
(bb) a detailed cable laying plan for the Order limits, incorporating a burial risk assessment encompassing the identification of any cable protection that exceeds 5% of navigable depth referenced to Chart Datum and, in the event that any area of cable protection exceeding 5% of navigable depth is identified, details of any steps (to be determined following consultation with the MCA and Trinity House) to be taken to ensure existing and future safe navigation is not compromised or such similar assessment to ascertain suitable burial depths and cable laying techniques, including cable protection; and
(cc) proposals for monitoring offshore cables and the status of cable protection during the operational lifetime of the authorised scheme which include a risk based approach to the management of unburied or shallow buried cables.
(iii) scour protection and cable protection management in accordance with the outline scour protection and cable protection management plan including details of the need, type, sources, quantity and installation methods for scour protection and cable protection, with details updated and resubmitted for approval if changes to it are proposed following cable laying operations;
(iv) main contractors;
(v) vessels and vessels transit corridors; and
(vi) associated and ancillary works.
(e) A project environmental management plan in accordance with the outline project environmental management plan covering the period of construction and operation to include details of—
(i) a marine pollution contingency plan to address the risks, methods and procedures to deal with any spills and collision incidents of the authorised scheme in relation to all activities carried out;
(ii) a chemical risk assessment to include information regarding how and when chemicals are to be used, stored and transported in accordance with recognised best practice guidance;
(iii) waste management and disposal arrangements;
(iv) the appointment and responsibilities of a fisheries liaison officer;
(v) a fisheries liaison and coexistence plan in accordance with the outline fisheries liaison and coexistence plan to ensure relevant fishing fleets are notified of commencement of licensed activities pursuant to condition 16 and to address the interaction of the licensed activities with fishing activities;
(vi) a vessel management plan in accordance with the outline vessel management plan including details of vessel routing to and from construction sites and ports and to include a code of conduct for vessel operators; and
(vii) a marine biosecurity plan detailing how the risk of introduction and spread of invasive non-native species will be minimised.
(f) In the event that driven or part-driven pile foundations are proposed to be used, a marine mammal mitigation protocol in accordance with the outline marine mammal mitigation protocol (piling), the intention of which is to prevent injury to marine mammals, following current best practice as advised by the relevant statutory nature conservation body, to be submitted to the MMO at least six months prior to commencement of piling activities. The marine mammal mitigation protocol must include deployment of noise mitigation systems or noise abatement systems (or both) that will be utilised to manage sounds from those piling activities. The marine mammal mitigation protocol must include full details and justification for the mitigation chosen or excluded for deployment.
(g) A written scheme of archaeological investigation in relation to the offshore Order limits seaward of mean high water, which must be submitted to the statutory historic body at least six months prior to commencement of the licensed activities and to the MMO at least four months prior to commencement of the licensed activities and which must accord with the outline marine archaeological written scheme of investigation and industry good practice, in consultation with the statutory historic body (and, if relevant, Lincolnshire County Council) to include—
(i) details of responsibilities of the undertaker, archaeological consultant and contractor;
(ii) a methodology for further site investigation including any specifications for geophysical, geotechnical and diver or remotely operated vehicle investigations;
(iii) archaeological analysis of survey data, and timetable for reporting, which is to be submitted to the MMO within four months of any survey being completed;
(iv) delivery of any mitigation including, where necessary, identification and modification of archaeological exclusion zones;
(v) monitoring of archaeological exclusion zones during and post construction, where required;
(vi) a requirement for the undertaker to ensure that a copy of any agreed archaeological report is deposited with the Archaeological Data Service, by submitting an OASIS (Online AccesS to the Index of archaeological investigationS) form with a digital copy of the report within six months of completion of construction of the authorised scheme, and to notify the MMO and Historic England that the OASIS form has been submitted to the Archaeological Data Service within two weeks of submission;
(vii) a reporting and recording protocol, including reporting of any wreck or wreck material during construction, operation and decommissioning of the authorised scheme; and
(viii) a timetable for all further site investigations, which must allow sufficient opportunity to establish a full understanding of the historic environment within the offshore Order limits and the approval of any necessary mitigation required as a result of the further site investigations prior to commencement of licensed activities.
(h) An offshore operations and maintenance plan, in accordance with the outline offshore operations and maintenance plan, to be submitted to the MMO at least six months prior to commencement of operation of the licensed activities and to provide for review and resubmission every three years during the operational phase.
(i) An aids to navigation management plan to be approved in writing by the MMO following consultation with Trinity House, to include details of how the undertaker will comply with the provisions of condition 17 for the lifetime of the authorised scheme.
(j) A biogenic reef mitigation plan, in accordance with the outline biogenic reef mitigation plan.
(k) An offshore reactive compensation platform lighting management plan, in accordance with the outline offshore reactive compensation platform lighting management plan.
(2) In the event that driven or part-driven pile foundations are proposed to be used, the hammer energy used to drive or part-drive the pile foundations must not exceed—
(a) 6,600kJ in respect of monopile foundations; and
(b) 3,500kJ in respect of pin piles.
(3) Pre-construction archaeological investigations and pre-commencement material operations which involve intrusive seabed works must only take place in accordance with a specific written scheme of archaeological investigation which is itself in accordance with the details set out in the outline written scheme of investigation (offshore), and which has been submitted to and approved by the MMO in consultation with the statutory historic body.
(4) Where an application for approval is made under condition 13(1)(c), (d), (e), (f), (h) or (j), the MMO must consult the relevant statutory nature conservation body.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/138/schedule/11/paragraph/22 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/outer-dowsing-offshore-wind-farm-order-2026/schedule-11/paragraph-22
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.