Council bosses hope the windfarm will attract tourists

Canterbury City Council has agreed that underground power cables needed for the 30 turbines on the 'Kentish Flats' can come ashore across council-owned land.

The plans to site the wind farm in an area of shallow water 8.5km north of Herne Bay were approved by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in March.

The council's director of development and planning David Reed said the whole area around Herne Bay and neighbouring Whitstable could benefit as a result.

Visitor attraction

He said: "The people of Whitstable have said for a long time they want the harbour to be a working harbour.

"With traditional cargoes harder to get now, to secure the wind farm maintenance business is a great boost for the harbour."

Mr Reed said he believed the wind farm would be an added attraction for the many visitors already coming from across the South East and London to Whitstable.

The 140m-high turbines will be built by Grep UK Marine Ltd and are expected to provide half the power for Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable.

Construction will start in 2004, with the wind farm expected to be in operation by early 2005.