THE wind farm proposed for the Dorset coast will be moved further from the shore and will have fewer turbines.

Navitus Bay Development Limited, the company behind the scheme, said that the changes, which were a “direct result” of discussion with statutory consultees and communities, would reduce the farm’s visual impact.

It said the park would now be 12 miles away from Bournemouth, rather than 10 and the maximum number of turbines would be 218, rather than 333.

Their maximum height will now be 200m, not 210m and the total area of the seabed that will be used reduced from 198sq km to 175sq km.

Navitus added that the changes would reduce the park’s capacity from 1,200MW to 1,100MW.

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 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.”