The 500MW West of Duddon Sands wind farm is planned near Walney Island 14km off the coast of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. It will comprise up to 139 turbines. The developers, Morecambe Wind Limited, estimate the wind farm could provide the equivalent of around 372,000 homes with clean, green electricity.

Energy Secretary John Hutton has also today approved an updated application from Ormonde Energy to build a 150MW wind farm comprising of up to 30 turbines, which will also be loacted near to Walney Island.

Gordon Brown will address business leaders at the CBI Scotland annual dinner in Glasgow, where he is expected to give formal approval to the West of Duddon Sands wind farm, one of the three largest offshore wind projects approved in the UK so far.

Both approvals have conditions attached.