Offshore wind energy - draft updated Sectoral Marine Plan 2025: consultation

Policy Context

This draft updated SMP-OWE has been developed to ensure consistency with the objectives and principles set out within the relevant plans and programmes listed below. Consistency across the policy framework is essential to provide a supportive delivery environment and stable investment climate for the sustainable deployment of offshore wind in Scottish waters.

• National Marine Plan (2015);
• National Islands Plan (2019);
• Scotland’s Climate Change Plan 2018 – 2032 (updated in 2020);
• The Environment Strategy for Scotland (2020);
• Offshore Wind Policy Statement (2020);
• Blue Economy Vision for Scotland (2022);
• INTOG Initial Plan Framework (2022);
• Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (2023);
• Green Industrial Strategy (2024);
• Marine Science and Innovation Strategy (2024);
• National Marine Plan 2: Planning Position Statement (2024);
• Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (2024).
• The Seventh Carbon Budget (2025);

In addition to the following UK Government plans and policies:

• Marine Policy Statement (2011);
• UK Marine Strategy (updated 2019);
• Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution (2020);
• Offshore Wind Sector Deal (2020);
• North Sea Transition Deal (2021);
• British Energy Security Strategy (2022);
• National Policy Statements EN-1 and EN-3 (2024);
• Clean Power 2030 Action Plan (2024)

The Importance of Offshore Wind for Delivering the Scottish Government’s Priorities

Tackling the Climate Emergency

Scotland is transitioning towards net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases by 2045, ahead of many other countries, as set out in our ambitious climate change legislation. This is supported by Scotland’s emission reduction targets set out in the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2024.

Scotland's Climate Change Plan for 2018-2032 was updated in response to the global climate emergency and sets out bold actions and changes needed in our economy and society to capitalise on the opportunities presented by net zero, and which together set our pathway to new emissions reduction targets out to 2032. The development of offshore wind has the potential to make a significant contribution to Scotland’s net zero transition and decarbonisation of the energy system.

Growing the Economy

Optimising the development of offshore wind is an important component in delivering a wellbeing economy for Scotland: a society that is thriving across economic, social and environmental dimensions, and that delivers prosperity for all Scotland's people and places. ScotWind has already delivered over £750m in revenues^[2] to the public purse and the expansion of offshore wind energy is creating substantial opportunities for economic growth all around Scotland, including in coastal and island communities through port infrastructure and new manufacturing facilities like the Sumitomo subsea cable facility in the Highlands. There are also commitments from ScotWind developers to invest an average projection of £1.5 billion per project in Scotland^[3]. Delivery of offshore wind is and will continue to be a key driver for economic growth in Scotland, supporting a sustainable and resilient wellbeing economy, for example through our offshore wind skills programme, delivering well-paid jobs within a green and growing sector.

Scotland’s Contribution to the UK Energy and Net Zero Ambition

To help achieve the UK net zero target by 2050, the UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan (CP2030) has set an ambition to transition to a 95% clean energy system across the UK by 2030. The Action Plan aims to support deployment of up to 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030, including up to 5 GW from floating offshore wind. Delivery of CP2030 is dependent on projects in Scotland's pipeline and we are committed to working with the UK Government to deliver CP2030 ambitions and grow the Scottish and UK economies through clean, secure energy and infrastructure.

This draft updated SMP-OWE sits alongside a wider clean energy planning framework being developed for the longer-term for the GB energy system: the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP), the Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP), the transitional Centralised Strategic Network Plan 2 (tCSNP2) and Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs), which are being developed by the National Energy System Operator (NESO).

The first iteration of the SSEP, due to be introduced in 2026, has been co-commissioned by the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments. The first SSEP will be a Great Britain-wide plan mapping the potential locations, quantities and types of electricity and hydrogen generation and storage infrastructure over time. The SSEP will be compatible with existing and in development marine planning mechanisms across Great Britain, including the process to review and update the Scottish SMP-OWE.

The SSEP development will take a strategic approach, recommending zonal locations of energy infrastructure to allow for more location and project specific decisions to be made during subsequent processes. We will continue to work closely with NESO, the UK and Welsh Governments on the SSEP as it develops, to ensure that it aligns with and respects devolved powers, planning mechanisms and policy ambitions and delivers real benefits for the people and communities of Scotland.

The Seventh Carbon Budget produced by the Climate Change Committee and endorsed by the UK Government recognises the need for significant offshore wind ambition with growth in the UK anticipated to be six-fold from 15 GW of capacity in 2023 to 88 GW by 2040.

Scotland is a nation with an abundance of offshore renewable energy resources, a highly skilled offshore workforce, and local supply chain and investment opportunities. Scotland is set to make a major contribution to UK ambitions given the size of its marine zone and the development aspirations shown by industry during the ScotWind and INTOG leasing rounds. Scotland recognises the opportunity to contribute towards wider UK ambitions, as well as our own Scottish targets.

Scotland’s Marine Planning Framework

The UK Marine Policy Statement (MPS) is the framework for preparing marine plans and taking decisions affecting the marine environment. Joint adoption of a UK-wide MPS provides a consistent high-level policy context for the development of marine plans, ensuring that marine resources are used sustainably.

The strategic aims of the draft updated SMP-OWE have been developed in accordance with the NMP (2015). The NMP is a statutory plan under section 5 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 that establishes the overarching planning framework for all decisions governing marine activity in Scottish waters. The NMP sets out that proposals for commercial scale offshore wind, and marine renewable energy development, should be sited in the PO areas identified through the sectoral marine planning process. Authorisation or enforcement decisions made by the Scottish Ministers regarding development within any of the OAs must be made in accordance with the appropriate marine plans, in line with the requirements set out in section 15 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. If a public authority makes an authorisation or enforcement decision otherwise than in accordance with the appropriate marine plans, it must state its reasons (Section 15(2)). The NMP also supports sustainable development and expansion of T&D facilities for offshore wind. The National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) will update the NMP’s current planning framework and is currently under development. It is expected to be adopted in 2027.

Regional Marine Planning

Regional marine plans (RMPs) provide objectives and policies at a regional level to support sustainable development and to provide opportunities for more local ownership and decision-making about specific marine issues. Once adopted RMPs become part of the statutory planning framework that guides marine consenting and licensing activities alongside the non-statutory sectoral marine plan for offshore wind energy. The updated draft sectoral marine plan sets out the sustainable development opportunities and constraints, associated with SMP OWE delivery, in each Scottish Marine Region, which will enhance and support the implementation of Regional Marine Plans, where additional local context is required and applied.

The NMP sets out considerations for Marine Planning Partnerships (MPPs) when creating RMPs. Under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, Scottish Ministers may prepare and adopt RMPs within the 11 inshore Scottish Marine Regions (as defined in the Scottish Marine Order 2015). RMPs must be prepared in accordance with the NMP (unless relevant considerations indicate otherwise). Certain Regional Marine Planning functions may be delegated by a direction issued by the Scottish Ministers. No statutory RMP for any given region has yet been adopted but three are currently under development in Shetland, Orkney and the Clyde.

Relationship between Marine and Terrestrial Planning

The fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) was adopted in February 2023. NPF4 sets out our vision for working towards a net zero Scotland by 2045 through planning. NPF4 signals the key priorities for ‘where’ and ‘what’ development should take place at a national level and is combined with national planning policy on ‘how’ development planning should manage change. There is overlap in the geographic scope of marine and terrestrial plans at our coasts. Planning Circular 1/2015 sets out the relationship between the statutory land use planning system and marine planning and licensing.