Hopes of jobs bonanza from giant offshore wind farm

The state-of-the-art catamaran, called the Titan Endeavour, is currently undertaking a survey of the cable route for the Dogger Bank wind farm site and is expected to be in Scarborough for at least a month while the work takes place.

The vessel has been commissioned by Gardline, a survey company for Forewind who are the developers of the Dogger Bank site which it is hoped will generate up to 10 per cent of the nation’s electricity.

Coun Derek Bastiman, Scarborough Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for strategic planning and regeneration, said: “We have been working hard to try and ensure our ports are utilised by the offshore wind industry.

“This is the first small but significant step of what we hope will be a whole new industry for our shores.

“Our ports, infrastructure and local companies are ideally placed to serve the supply, survey operations and maintenance activity of the offshore wind industry.”

Dogger Bank is located between 80 and 120 miles off the North Yorkshire coast.

The wind farm, which is expected to include about 2,600 giant turbines each up to 400ft tall, will stretch across an area of more than 3,300 sq miles – equivalent to the size of North Yorkshire, England’s largest county.

It is hoped that thousands of jobs will be created as coastal towns including Scarborough and Whitby still struggling with the decline of the fishing industry, play a significant support role.

While the first turbines are not due to become operational until 2016, major environmental surveys are already under way off the coast and planning applications could be submitted as early as next year.

Councillor Mike Cockerill, Scarborough Council’s cabinet member for harbours, also welcomed the Titan Endeavour and her crew to the borough.

“This clearly demonstrates that the borough’s harbours are ideally situated and have the necessary capacity to service the requirements of the offshore wind industry,” he said.