A MASSIVE extension of the Burbo Bank offshore wind farm in Liverpool Bay has moved a step closer this week.

The scheme will see the farm quadruple in size.

The application for a proposed extension to the Burbo Bank wind farm was shown the green light by the London-based Planning Inspectorate two years ago, but faced further scrutiny and public consultation.

Energy firm Dong today said the project remains on track having met a key contractual milestone.

It says the project has successfully demonstrated that 10% of total project expenditure has now been spent, a fundamental contractual requirement which had to be met for the milestone to be delivered.

This is one of the requirements the project must achieve to qualify for its investment contracts.

Expected to be commissioned in 2017, the 258 megawatt wind farm in Liverpool Bay will be able to supply the electricity needs of around 180,000 UK homes.

Having received development consent in September last year, the wind farm will consist of 32 MHI Vestas Offshore Wind 8 MW wind turbines. 

Klaus Skoust Møller, DONG Energy' s senior programme director for Burbo Bank Extension said:  "I am delighted that we have achieved this milestone. Getting the submission  together was a real team effort with over 300 documents  produced to ensure we met the requirements of the Government's CFD delivery body, the Low Carbon Contracts Company,  who helped us by maintaining an open dialogue throughout the process."

He added: "The milestone is a significant achievement  for the project which demonstrates our commitment to deliver Burbo Bank Extension to time and cost. It also confirms DONG Energy wider commitment to offshore wind in the UK. We have already placed a number of important contracts and the pace of the project is increasing month on month. Work has been ongoing for some time now onshore in St. Asaph and this is progressing well.

"The Burbo Bank Extension will be using the world's largest available offshore wind turbines and, when commissioned, the wind farm will represent another significant step towards reducing cost of electricity on future projects."

The wind farms could cost up to £1bn each year in subsidies, but the Government says they would encourage firms to invest much more than that in low-carbon electricity generation.

In summer 2013, Wirral Council expected it would be asked to provide an important “Local Impact Report” enabling it to formally set out its concerns about the controversial proposal.

But the authority was told the Government ruled it required no such review from Wirral.

A document for councillors said the reports are only allowed from councils that are directly affected by a development – "and in this case the application is in offshore waters outside any English local authority boundary.”

Following the expansion's approval last year, Wirral Council leader Cllr Phil Davies, who is also chairman of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said: "You always have to balance the environmental impact against the potential for economic development, but I think that generally this decision is good news.

"It particularly offers new job opportunities at Cammell Laird, which is winning orders for its offshore wind farm work."