The Crown Estate to launch tender for controversial Morgan offshore wind site off the Fylde coast

A seabed manager has announced plans to launch a competitive tender process to bring a controversial windfarm project off the Fylde coast back to market.

The Crown Estate, a unique business  established by an Act of Parliament tasked with growing the value of the portfolio for the HM Treasury, is looking for a developer for the Morgan offshore wind site.

Today they have revealed plans to award it to a developer in late 2026.

Last month The Gazette reported the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband has decided to re-set the statutory deadline for the application, which involved plans to run gigantic cables from both the Morgan windfarm and the Morecambe Bay offshore windfarm through Blackpool and Fylde to the National grid at Penwortham, to 14 September 2026.

A statement confirming the new deadline for the decision has been made to Parliament, in accordance with section 107(7) of the Planning Act 2008.

The massive 11-year cable infrastructure project has been met with concerns from Fylde coast residents and MPs.

The plans have proved highly controversial because of an associated 15.5 mile underground cable route which would come ashore near Starr Gate beach, close to Blackpool Airport, before running through the Fylde countryside and into a battery storage facility in Penwortham.

Local politicians and residents have expressed fear that it would devastate the Fylde countryside, while Britain’s Ministry of Defence also opposed the plans on the grounds that the proposed turbine array would interfere with aviation radar systems at BAE’s Warton base.

The Fylde Says No! group has claimed the plans will mean “11 years of living on a building site”.

Economic viability

In January, Morgan Offshore Wind Limited pulled out of what was originally the Morgan and Morecambe windfarm project because “the project is no longer economically viable”, but the Morecambe section is still proceeding.

Windfarm developers say the project will produce 1500MW - enough electricity to power nearly two million homes every year. The turbines themselves have been granted planning permission.

Campaigners say the trenches the underground cables will sit in will be the equivalent width of “three motorways”.

A spokesman of Fylde Says No! said: “Fylde Says No! remain seriously concerned that BAE Warton seem to be continuing to state that it is impossible for them to accurately risk assess or mitigate the increased risk of birdstrikes, resulting from this proposed plan, on the high velocity aircraft using the Aerodrome.

“We don’t need to be aviation experts to know that a bird strike on a high velocity jet would cause a very serious, major incident, involving widespread destruction and loss of life. We do not see how this application can morally, ethically or legally be given approval whilst this stalemate exists.”

New plans

The site with the potential for up to 1.5GW in the Irish Sea was brought to market through Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 in 2021 but development was discontinued in January 2026.

Since then, The Crown Estate has reviewed several options to return the site to market and enable the potential it has to provide up to 1.5 million homes with clean, homegrown energy and create thousands of jobs.

Morgan secured a Development Consent Order (DCO) for its windfarm asset in August 2025 and is awaiting a decision on the DCO application for its transmission assets, a joint application with the transmission assets of the 480MW Morecambe offshore windfarm, now expected this September.

The site currently has a grid connection agreement with the National Energy System Operator (NESO). Further details about the site conditions, tender process and commercial model will be made available to developers shortly.

This tender process is separate to Leasing Round 6 which The Crown Estate has previously announced its intention to launch in the first half of next year, and is not expected to impact on that programme’s timelines.

Gus Jaspert, Managing Director, Marine at The Crown Estate, said: “Offshore wind is a key industrial sector for the UK, acting as a significant driver of clean, secure, domestic energy and economic growth and Morgan can play an important role in advancing this national success story.

“We’re pleased to be bringing this site back to market, following considered assessment of a range of options, and look forward to securing a new developer to realise its potential.”

Last month, The Crown Estate’s 2025 UK Offshore Wind Report highlighted the increasingly vital role the sector is playing in contributing to the UK’s energy generation mix, delivering nearly a fifth (18%) of the nation’s total electricity in 2025.​

Offshore wind remains the UK’s leading source of renewable energy, generating 52TWh in 2025 – enough to power 15.5 million homes.

Whos is The Crown Estate?

The Crown Estate has a diverse £15bn portfolio that includes urban centres and development opportunities; one of the largest rural holdings in the country; Regent Street and St James’s in London’s West End; and Windsor Great Park. They also manage the seabed and much of the coastline around England, Wales and Northern Ireland, playing a major role in the UK’s world leading offshore wind sector. 

They are a unique business  established by an Act of Parliament, tasked with growing the value of the portfolio for the nation and returning all of our net profit to HM Treasury for the benefit of public spending. This has totalled £5bn over the last 10 years. 

Through their activities and investments, The Crown Estate creates environmental, social and financial value both for now and into the long term. This includes: 

Playing a significant role in unlocking renewable energy for millions of homes through sectors such as offshore wind and creating opportunities for new technologies like CCUS and hydrogen to deliver the UK’s energy security transition, resulting in thousands of jobs for communities across the UK. 

Supporting the sustainable transformation of land use in the UK through diversified, regenerative agricultural and environmental best practice alongside a thriving natural world. 

Becoming recognised as a centre of excellence for environmental and ecological best practice across the Windsor Estate. 

Identifying and creating opportunities for thriving and resilient communities across the country to support regeneration, housing and innovation. 

Ensuring London retains its global city status, by fostering a more vibrant, greener and inclusive destination for millions of visitors and businesses.