THE power of the people has resulted in plans for a wind farm off the Tendring coastline being changed after the views of residents were considered.

The North Falls offshore wind farm project will now be built 42km away from the Frinton shore after concerns were raised by residents.

The North Sea development, which was initially meant to be positioned 22 km away, will also be smaller in size, shrinking from the planned 150 km2 to 95 km2. 

The changes come after feedback from locals questioned the location of the wind farm and its proximity to the coast.

The project is taking place in collaboration with the Five Estuaries development and is part of plans to extend the Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm and RWE’s aim to become carbon neutral by 2040. 

As part of the scheme trenches will be drilled horizontally at a depth of at least 1.2-metres where possible, but not shallower than 0.9-metres.

The wind park will also only have one substation, which will be built east of Kirby Brook, avoiding Holland Haven Marshes to preserve the site of special scientific interest.

Its size has been brought down by two hectares from the anticipated eight hectares in the original plans. 

According to bosses at North Falls, the cables will not go underneath the Frinton beach huts and there will not be any permanent buildings, leaving the area with “no noticeable difference”. 

Developers hope the wind farm receives permission to be built within the next two to three years and could be in operation by the end of the decade.