The wind farm proposed off the Isle of Wight will be smaller and further out to sea, it has been revealed today.

The Navitus Bay project has reduced the size of its proposed Wind Park in Poole Bay, Dorset from 333 to 218 turbines and increased the distance of the nearest turbine to Hengistbury Head from
13.5km to 16.41km.

The announcement follows discussions with concerned statutory consultees and local
communities.

The
changes include:

• Moving the development boundary further away from the shore, increasing the distance of the nearest turbine to Hengistbury Head from
  13.5km to 16.41km. This aims to reduce the potential visual impact and to protect navigational safety for vessels entering the Solent.

• A 35 per cent reduction in the maximum number of turbines proposed from 333 to 218. Fewer would be built and the largest turbines
  will now be smaller than previously planned, with a maximum height of
  200 metres rather than 210.
  

• An eight per cent reduction in the maximum overall capacity of the project from 1200 MW to 1100 MW

• A 12 per cent reduction in the total area of seabed that will be developed from 198 square km to 175 square km – to try and reduce the potential visual impact of turbines and protect navigational safety.

Mike Unsworth, project director for Navitus Bay Development Limited, said: “We
have moved the site significantly further from the coast, reducing the
potential visual and navigational impact of the Wind Park.

“In addition,
we have reduced the maximum number of turbines in the proposal and
reduced the height of the tallest turbine.

“We feel that these
significant adjustments to the plans strike a good balance between
responses that we have had from consultees and the technical viability
from an environmental, engineering, shipping and commercial perspective.

“The changes demonstrate that Navitus Bay is fully engaged in the debate
and willing to listen.”

Keith Moss, Deputy Project Director at Navitus Bay added: “Listening
and acting on the feedback that we receive has always been important in
informing our plans for the Wind Park.

“The changes announced today
underline our commitment to genuine consultation.

“We are now looking
forward to discussing the updated project with the community at our next
round of consultation events in February.”

Huub den Rooijen, head of offshore wind at The Crown Estate, said: “The
Crown Estate awarded Navitus Bay Development Limited the rights to
develop the potential offshore wind resources to the west of the Isle of
Wight.

“As a core part of this they are engaging with local and national
stakeholders to understand the impacts of the project.

“This is a key
part of the Government’s statutory planning permission which must be
granted before construction starts. Feedback gained to date has clearly
fed into their plans for the project, demonstrating their sensitivity to
the local area.”

A series of public consultation events will
take place across Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in February
2013.

The exhibitions will display new and improved visualisations as
well as an interactive 3D model of the site and onshore cable route.

New visuals of the projetc have also been unveiled and can be found by clicking here.