2006 ended on a high note for offshore wind as the offshore elements of the London Array offshore wind farm – poised to be the world's first gigawatt (1,000MW) wind farm – were finally approved by the Government.

The consent gives the go-ahead for the 270 turbine scheme which is to be built in the Thames approaches, 20km from the Kent and Essex coasts. The onshore substation for the project will be the subject of a planning inquiry, beginning early March this year.

The group planning to build this iconic wind farm welcomed the Government's decision, and also the commitments made by the Government as result of the recent Energy Review to reform the planning process for major renewable energy projects and increase financial support for the offshore wind industry.

When complete, the London Array will displace nearly two million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year and will generate enough electricity to power 750,000 homes – the equivalent to a quarter of Greater London's households or every home in Kent and East Sussex.

Andrew Murfin, a Director of London Array Limited, said "This is a significant step forward in the development of the London Array offshore wind farm. The UK Government has a target of 10 percent of energy generation from renewables by 2010 and an aspiration to double that by 2020; to help reach these targets it is imperative that large scale wind farms such as London Array get the go-ahead and are built in the not too distant future."