BOURNEMOUTH seafront could play its part in a "fantastic opportunity" to generate enough green energy each year to power more than 600,000 homes.

Private firm, Eneco, has been appointed by public landowner, the Crown Estate, to develop a wind farm on 95 square miles of seabed from Purbeck to the Needles.

Chris Sherrington, director of the offshore wind project, said: "The wind park will produce about 900mw. That's enough renewable energy to power 615,000 homes for a year.

"We think it's a really fantastic opportunity for the region to make a major contribution to the UK's target," he said.

Eneco hopes to build between 180 and 250 turbines, with a blade height of up to 150 metres, grouped in rows in a diamond formation, between 10 and 20 miles from Bournemouth seafront.

"I know that turbines are a personal thing. We see our job as providing as accurate a picture as possible of what they will look like. We are not there to persuade people that they should like them," he said.

But central ward councillor, Dave Smith, said he was disappointed by what he claimed was a lack of publicity surrounding the consultation.

And he urged Eneco to build the wind farm as far as possible from Bournemouth seafront to protect the town's natural attractions.

"We are 100 per cent behind the idea of a wind farm. We support wholeheartedly the principle of renewable energy.

"The point I want to make to Eneco is that we want it as far as possible out to sea. Tourism is the biggest driver for Bournemouth, and it's important that we protect our natural views as much as we can," he said.

Formal consultation with statutory bodies, including Bournemouth Council, and an Environmental Impact Assessment, will be made early next year.

A formal planning application could be made to the Infrastructure Planning Commission in 2012. Eneco say the wind farm could be operational by 2016.

Informal consultation began in January and ends on December 31. To take part, visit enecowindoffshore.co.uk/have-your-say.aspx.