Giant wind farm approved

A giant offshore wind farm in the Thames Estuary has been given the green light.

A consortium of energy companies and an investment bank are behind the ambitious project, said to be the world's largest wind farm.

It is expected to be in operation by 2012 and will supply enough power for around 750,000 homes – or a quarter of Greater London homes.

Onshore work for the scheme – known as the London Array – should start later this year with offshore work scheduled to begin in early 2011.

The scheme will be built around 12 miles off the coasts of Kent and Essex. The wind farm will be installed on a 90-square-mile site and will be built in two phases. The first phase will consist of 175 turbines.

At one point the project was under threat when Swale Borough Council refused planning permission for the key sub-station needed to link the wind farm to the electricity transmission network.

The second phase of the scheme requires a further environmental assessment and Government consent before it gets the go-ahead.