Plans to expand windfarm given green light

The Rampion 2 windfarm turbines can be up to 325m (1,066ft) in height

Plans to expand a windfarm off the Sussex coast have been given the go-ahead by the government.

The Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm will see a further 90 turbines erected near a site of 116 turbines.

The turbines - which can be up to 325m (1,066ft) in height - are capable of producing enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of one million homes, says the government.

The developer of the Rampion 2 project, Rampion Extension Development, said subsea cables will bring the power to shore under Climping Beach.

It added an underground cable route will take the power to a new substation at Oakendene near Cowfold, before reaching final connection into the transmission network at Bolney, Mid Sussex.

The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband, confirmed the government granted planning permission for the project on Friday.

The windfarm is capable of producing enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of one million homes

When public hearings began on the plans, critics voiced concerns about the wind farm's impact on tourism.

Construction was expected to start in 2027 and be completed by 2030.

Umair Patel, from Rampion Extension Development, said: "This is a key milestone for the project and Rampion 2 is now set to play an important role in securing the UK's energy supplies from our abundant wind resource."

The government believes this project will create up to 4,000 jobs.