Offshore wind - strategic compensation policy: consultation
Sets out the proposed strategic compensation policy as well as the proposed approach to reforming the Habitats Regulations for offshore wind.
Closed
This consultation closed 2 September 2025.
View this consultation on consult.gov.scot, including responses once published.
Consultation analysis
5 Identifying Wider Measures and Strategic Compensation
As set out in section 1.3, a key element of the policy is enabling strategic compensation, which can be delivered at scale, over extended timeframes, across multiple offshore wind projects, or for a single project with multiple adverse effects. Wider measures can be a form of strategic compensation.
Scottish Government is taking forward work to develop a Scottish Portfolio of Strategic Compensatory Measures, with current research projects being undertaken on the following:
- Predator Control and Biosecurity
- Habitat Management and Restoration, and Reduction of Disturbance at Colony
- Fisheries management compensatory measures
- Restoring and enhancing supporting prey habitats
- Marine litter removal at scale
It is our intention to make the outcomes of these projects available to offshore wind developers and other interested stakeholders.
Scottish Government are minded to provide offshore wind developers with flexibility to propose and deliver wider measures through various pathways:
- For projects assessed within the draft updated SMP-OWE, measures from those already identified as plan-level compensatory measures which can be delivered by the individual project or through the appropriate strategic compensation delivery mechanism, such as a Scottish Marine Recovery Fund.
- For projects not assessed as part of the draft updated SMP-OWE, measures from the Scottish Portfolio of Strategic Compensatory Measures, which can be delivered by the individual project or through the appropriate strategic compensation delivery mechanism, such as a Scottish Marine Recovery Fund.
- For all projects (within or outwith the draft updated SMP-OWE), to propose their own compensatory measures including where those measures would qualify as strategic compensation or wider measures.
We recommend that offshore wind developers engage with SNCBs as early as possible when looking to develop their compensatory measure package.
As set out in the UK Government consultation, in England wider compensatory measures must be approved by the Defra Secretary of State and entered into the Library of Strategic Compensatory Measures (LoSCM). It is expected that wider measures should then be delivered through the UK Marine Recovery Fund (MRF).