Work on Siemens' Green Port Hull turbine factory starts

The facility will manufacture 75m-long rotor blades

Construction work has started on a £310m wind turbine production and installation facility in Hull.

A ground breaking ceremony, attended by Energy Secretary Ed Davey, was held to mark the start of the work.

Siemens is investing £160m in Green Port Hull at the city's Alexandra Dock. The company claimed the facility would create up to 1,000 jobs.

Associated British Ports (ABP), which owns and operates the dock, is investing £150m in the project.

The manufacturing, assembly and servicing factories, which will build 75m-long rotor blades designed for 6MW turbines, are expected to be operational in 2016.

Siemens also confirmed its first order had been placed by a company to supply 67 turbines to a wind farm off the Norfolk coast.

Siemens is investing £160m in Green Port Hull at the city's Alexandra Dock

Mr Davey said the Green Port Hull development would "help to drive down the costs of offshore wind".

Green Port Hull was first announced in January 2011 and was granted planning permission in May 2012.