The Crown Estate launches accelerated tender for Morgan offshore wind site

The Crown Estate has today launched a competitive tender process to secure a new developer to build and operate the up to 1.5GW Morgan wind farm in the Irish Sea.

Following the previous developer's decision to discontinue development earlier this year, The Crown Estate has moved quickly to return the site to market and maintain momentum on one of the most advanced offshore wind opportunities available to developers.  

The streamlined process could see rights awarded by the end of 2026, helping to keep a significant renewable energy project on track. Once operational, Morgan could generate enough electricity to power up to 1.5 million homes, supporting the UK’s energy security ambitions and economic growth.

Maintaining delivery momentum

Morgan has already achieved significant development milestones, making it one of the most advanced offshore wind opportunities available to developers.

The Crown Estate is working with relevant stakeholders to seek to preserve, wherever possible, the substantial development progress already made on the project. This will help a future developer build on existing foundations and support continued delivery at pace.  

The project 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 wind farm – now expected this September.

It also benefits from a grid connection agreement with the National Energy System Operator (NESO). 

Gus Jaspert, Managing Director, Marine at The Crown Estate, said: “Morgan is a strategically important offshore wind project that has already achieved significant development milestones. Our priority has been to move quickly and maintain the momentum already built behind the project.

“By launching an accelerated tender process, we’re offering developers the potential opportunity to take forward a project with substantial consenting and grid progress already in place. That helps keep valuable renewable energy capacity on track while supporting energy security, investment, jobs and growth across the UK’s offshore wind supply chain."

Tender Process

To support continued investment in the project, The Crown Estate has developed a streamlined and proportionate tender process to provide developers with greater certainty while maintaining a fair and transparent competitive process.

Developers will take part in a transparent rising clock auction, with bids forming a Site Exclusivity Fee that will only become payable to The Crown Estate when the project enters lease. While the fee will be bid as a lump sum, it will be paid by developers phased over 20 years from the date the lease commences.

The new approach has been designed to help de-risk the development phase of the project, when developers typically absorb other major costs and commitments.

The Crown Estate has published a Tender Notice on the UK Government’s Find a Tender Service for developers wishing to find out more about the tender.  

Bidders are expected to return their submissions over the summer, with an auction and selection of a preferred bidder expected towards the end of the year.

In March 2026, The Crown Estate confirmed its intention to launch a new leasing round for around 6GW of offshore wind capacity of the coast of the North East of England. Known as Offshore Wind Leasing Round 6, it is expected to begin in the first half of 2027. The Crown Estate is continuing to finalise its approach to Round 6, which is separate from the Morgan tender process.