Go ahead for 450 MW wind station off northeast England

The latest offshore wind farm in British waters to receive the go-ahead from government is Danish company Dong Energy's 450 MW Walney project off Cumbria. Between 93 and 152 turbines will be sited in the north Irish Sea, 14 kilometres west of Walney Island. The project becomes the fourth to receive consent under the UK's second round of consenting for offshore development of larger projects sited further from the coast than seen in the first round. A decision is also expected soon on Morecambe Wind's West Duddon project, which would be sited alongside the Walney wind farm. Furness Enterprise, a local government agency, welcomes the consent for Walney but is calling for local jobs and investment by the wind farm companies as a trade-off for the visual impact and tourism effect of so many turbines off the coast.