Wind farm expansion plan off coastline of Wirral is revealed

May 5 2011 By David Bartlett

AROUND 2,000 workers would be involved in £450m plans to quadruple the size of the wind farm off the Wirral coastline.

Denmark-based Dong Energy yesterday unveiled its plans for a massive expansion of the Burbo Bank wind farm in Liverpool Bay, four miles off the Wirral and Crosby coastlines.

The announcement bodes well for maritime firms like Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, which hope to win big contracts from the construction project.

People in Wirral will have two opportunities to attend consultation events later this month.

Investment agency The Mersey Partnership (TMP) said it was an important announcement in meeting the region’s target to create 3,000 jobs in the industry by 2015.

The farm currently has 25 turbines which generate around 90 megawatts (MW) of energy.

Dong wants to build enough wind-powered generators to produce an extra 250MW – enough to power 170,000 more homes.

The current wind farm covers about 10 sq km, but once expanded 40 sq km of seabed would be used.

If similar turbines to the current ones are used, it means another 65 propellers could be whirring off the Merseyside shoreline.