With an installed capacity of 1,200MW, the offshore wind farm will feature 240 wind turbine generators and associated infrastructure.
Prior to the development consent decision, the Planning Inspectorate has assessed the process which met or exceeded all the statutory timescales which was laid down in the Planning Act 2008.
The project is a 50-50 joint venture between Sweden’s state-owned utility Vattenfall and Scottish Power Renewables, a unit of Spanish energy firm Iberdrola.
Planning Inspectorate chief executive Michael Pitt said the examination focused to ensure that communities who might be affected by this proposal had the opportunity to put forward their views.
"This is a significant application for the offshore wind energy sector and required a Panel of four Examining Inspectors who were given the task of considering the evidence put to them by the interested parties," Pitt added.
"The examination of the application was completed within the timescales prescribed in the Planning Act and a recommendation made to the Energy Secretary. Today’s decision by the Energy Secretary supports that recommendation."
Expected to provide almost 2,900 jobs, the wind farm is likely to cost £10m a year to the East Anglian economy and generate enough electricity to power approximately 820,000 homes.
UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said, "The project has the potential to inject millions of pounds into the local and national economies, and support thousands of green jobs."
Scheduled to commence construction in 2017, the project is slated to begin generating electricity from 2019.
Image: East Anglia ONE Offshore wind farm receives development consent. Photo: courtesy of Crown copyright.
