The UK's largest offshore wind farm off the north Wales coast has been given the go ahead.

The consent was given on Tuesday by Minister for Energy Brian Wilson. North Hoyle - which will be made up of 30 wind turbines - is to be located 7.5km from Prestatyn and Rhyl in Denbighshire.

It will provide electricity for 50,000 homes.

Wales has set targets for renewable energy

Work on the development is due to start immediately for completion by autumn next year.

"Wales is blessed with some of the finest energy rich natural resources in the world," Mr Wilson said.

"I am confident that Government, investors and the local community will work together to create a successful and mutually beneficial development.

Three million homes

"This development marks a significant step forward for the offshore wind industry in the UK.

"It is the second offshore wind farm development to be approved from the 18 potential sites identified by developers."

In March this year, a report by the Welsh Assembly said that the country needed a dramatic increase in the number of windfarms to meet suggested new targets for the generation of renewable energy.

It set out that Wales should aim to produce enough electricity from renewable sources to supply more than three million homes by 2010.

Major windfarm projects in Wales are already the source of controversy.

In December 2001, Brian Wilson gave the go-ahead for the biggest wind farm in the Britain to be built in Ceredigion in west Wales.

Once built, the �35m development at Cefn Croes should supply nearly 50% of the electricity needs of Ceredigion and 1% of the needs of Wales.