Where the wind blows: A Curators Perspective on the public benefit from offshore wind developments
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 15/06/2019

As the Marine Management Organisation’s primary heritage advisor, Historic England is involved in the post-consent delivery of offshore projects such as large-scale wind farms. Given the scale of developments, the vast suites of data being collected to support them, and in line with the National Policy Statement, the potential for public benefit arising from such schemes is now being realised.  
Taken from a curatorial point of view, this paper will look at how Historic England has contributed to securing public benefits from offshore wind farm developments using specific examples drawn from recent North Sea Round 2 and 3 offshore wind farms. Additionally, in the face of increasing interest in offshore seabed areas for further renewables projects, we will consider how to make the best of future opportunities.

Pip Naylor (Historic England)