Community leaders have welcomed the announcement that has given the go-ahead to build a major wind farm between Lowestoft and Felixstowe.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has given the green light to East Anglia One, a 714MW project, which will be run by ScottishPower Renewables.

It secured the Contract for Difference (CfD) funding in an auction process run by the government.

Waveney District Council leader Colin Law said: 'The announcement from ScottishPower Renewables is fantastic news for this area.

'East Anglia One will be a major development and will bring massive investment to Norfolk and Suffolk.

'This will mean increased employment opportunities throughout both the construction period and the future lifespan of the wind farm, as well as opportunities for economic growth through the local supply chain.'

East Anglia One is set to be the best value offshore wind farm ever to be built in the UK according to ScottishPower Renewables, which hopes to provide power to about 500,000 homes each year.

Mark Bee, Suffolk County Council leader, added: 'The wind farm will generate fantastic opportunities for our local companies to benefit from the supply chain to build and maintain the turbines.

'The EAOW zone aims to be one of the most efficient ever built and I look forward to working closely with EAOW to make sure that we see real economic growth in the county as a result of the development.'

The successful bid, in an auction where energy projects were given a guaranteed price for their output, was set at £119 per MWh for the £2billion investment in the project.

ScottishPower aims to start work on the project in 2017, install the first turbines by 2019 and make it fully operational during 2020.

Simon Gray, chief executive of the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR), said the 714MW allocation at East Anglia One was more than he had expected.

'This is great news and by far the largest allocation,' he said.

'It is an indication that this government is more serious about this development now and it is a start of great things to come.

'The quote for East Anglia One was so competitive, which is an indication that the cost of offshore wind is coming down - and that is what the government wanted.'

While East Anglia One was awarded funding, other projects in the region, including Galloper and Race Bank, were not named in the list of green-lit projects.

And the 100 turbine deal for the East Anglia One project is significantly smaller than the original plans for 240 turbines, generating 1,200 MW.

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