The start-up of the UK's first offshore windfarm off Norfolk has been delayed until 2004.

Developer Powergen said the delay is because key engineering work has been postponed until next winter.

A condition for the project is that onshore work is carried out during winter to avoid digging up the beach during the holiday season.

The windfarm, consisting of 39 turbines at Scroby Sands off Great Yarmouth, had been due to start up in 2003.

The turbines will sit on a sandbank in the North Sea

"The initial plan was for onshore work to start now but it will be done next winter," said a spokesman for Powergen, declining to give a reason for the delay.

The windfarm was approved by the government in April, to provide power for 50,000 homes.

The turbines will be 100-metres-high and placed on a sandbank in the North Sea.

Construction of the UK's second offshore wind farm, Innogy's RWEG.F 60 megawatt North Hoyle project off the north Wales coast, is due to start in spring 2003 with the scheme coming on stream in the autumn.

Renewable energy

This week the government announced that Scroby Sands and North Hoyle had each been granted �10m to help with start-up costs.

Britain granted concessions to 18 offshore wind farms last year to kick-start the industry which is well established in Denmark and is also taking off in Germany.

The government has said offshore wind is key to its strategy to triple the amount of energy generated from renewable sources by 2010 from about 3% to 10%.

Last week, approval was given for the building of a second turbine at Swaffham in Norfolk.