Burnham lauds £12bn offshore wind investment as he prepares for climate summit

Andy Burnham has hailed a record investment in offshore wind, as the government tries to repair its green credentials after approving the controversial Jackdaw gasfield in the North Sea.

On Wednesday the government announced a £12bn investment from the German energy company RWE and the US private equity firm KKR, as the prime minister prepares to travel to the Cop31 climate crisis summit in Turkey.

The investment package, which will go towards the creation of the Vanguard West and Vanguard East offshore windfarms off the Norfolk coast, is a “vote of confidence for building in Britain”, he said.

“It is great news for bill payers because every turbine we put up is power under British control, not at the mercy of events on the other side of the world.

“With coastal communities from Scotland to East Anglia powering Britain’s future, the places that host this energy benefit from the jobs and opportunities that it brings.”

The offshore wind projects will also receive £1bn in funding from the state-owned national wealth fund.

The windfarms are set to be providing power by 2030, with construction set to begin early next year. The wind investment is “believed to be the biggest of its kind in UK history”, the government said.

RWE said the Vanguard project represents one of the UK’s largest offshore wind developments, generating about 2.8 gigawatts, enough to supply 3m homes.

It estimated that the construction of the windfarms will create and support 2,300 jobs each year through its supply chain. The windfarms are expected to create a further 100 long-term permanent jobs when they are operational.

The energy company SSE also announced on Wednesday that the latest phase of its major offshore windfarm, Berwick Bank B off the east coast of Scotland, would “support” 2,600 existing jobs.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, the energy secretary, said investment in offshore wind and clean power was “creating quality jobs and rebuilding industry, while delivering the clean power we need to lower bills and reach net zero”.

She added that Britain was “leading from the front as a renewable energy powerhouse”.

It comes as Burnham seeks to bolster his government’s under-fire green credentials at Cop31, where he is expected to give a speech on Thursday.

The prime minister has faced a backlash from Labour MPs and environmental campaigners over his government’s decision to approve the Jackdaw gasfield.

On Tuesday, ministers also rejected plans to build what would have been Britain’s biggest solar plant near the Blenheim Palace estate.

Fahnbulleh turned down the £800m Botley West project, which would have covered almost 3,500 acres of land. Developers said it would have provided enough electricity to power 330,000 homes.

Margaret Curran, in a letter on behalf of the energy secretary, wrote that the project would cause “substantial harm” to the green belt and the Blenheim Estate – home to Blenheim Palace, which is a world heritage site and the birthplace of Winston Churchill.