Less than six months after development on the Morgan offshore wind site was discontinued, The Crown Estate is moving to bring it back to market. The estate announced it will open a competitive tender next month for the 1.5GW Irish Sea project — which has the potential to power up to 1.5 million homes — with a new developer expected to be awarded the site in late 2026.
Crown Estate to reopen Morgan site to competitive bidding
The Crown Estate will launch the competitive tender next month, targeting a developer award in late 2026. The Morgan site sits in the Irish Sea and carries capacity for up to 1.5GW — enough to power up to 1.5 million homes and, according to The Crown Estate, create thousands of jobs.
One detail worth noting: this tender runs on its own track, separate from Leasing Round 6, which The Crown Estate has previously announced it intends to launch in the first half of next year. The relaunch of Morgan is not expected to touch that program’s timeline at all.
Why the site returned to market after its recent discontinuation
Morgan first came to market through Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 in 2021. Development was discontinued in January 2026, leaving the site without an active developer and prompting The Crown Estate to weigh its options. Several pathways were reviewed before the estate settled on a competitive retender.
Gus Jaspert, Managing Director of Marine at The Crown Estate, explained the decision: “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 realize its potential.” He also placed the move in a wider context: “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.”
Regulatory and grid status of the Morgan site
Morgan arrives at this tender in a relatively advanced regulatory position. The site secured a Development Consent Order for its windfarm asset in August 2025, clearing a major planning hurdle for any incoming developer.
A second DCO application — covering the site’s transmission assets — is still awaiting a decision. That application is a joint submission with the transmission assets of the 480MW Morecambe offshore windfarm, and a ruling is expected this September. On the grid side, Morgan already holds a connection agreement with the National Energy System Operator, removing one of the most common sources of delay in offshore wind development. Further details on site conditions, the tender process, and the commercial model will be made available to developers shortly.
Offshore wind’s growing role in UK electricity generation
The timing of this relaunch reflects a broader moment for the sector. Last month, The Crown Estate published its 2025 UK Offshore Wind Report, which highlighted the sector’s expanding contribution to the national energy mix.
The figures carry weight. Offshore wind generated 52TWh in 2025 — enough to power 15.5 million homes — representing nearly 18% of the UK’s total electricity for the year and making it the country’s leading source of renewable energy. Against that backdrop, a 1.5GW site sitting idle is a notable gap. Morgan’s potential contribution represents a meaningful share of the sector’s overall capacity, and the decision to move quickly signals how much priority The Crown Estate places on bringing it back into play.
A decision is pending in September
The core facts are straightforward: The Crown Estate will open a competitive tender for the Morgan offshore wind site next month, with a developer award targeted for late 2026 and capacity for up to 1.5GW in the Irish Sea.
Morgan is not starting from scratch. It already holds a DCO for its windfarm asset and a grid connection agreement with the National Energy System Operator. A joint DCO application for transmission assets is pending a September decision. Taken together, those approvals give an incoming developer a clearer path forward than most sites at this stage — which matters when timelines are tight.
The tender is independent of Leasing Round 6 and is not expected to disrupt that program. Full details on site conditions, the tender process, and the commercial model will follow shortly. For developers active in the Irish Sea, the window to engage is opening fast.
