A WIND farm proposed off the coast of Hampshire will be moved further from the shore and will have fewer turbines, it was revealed today.

Navitus Bay said that the changes would reduce the visual impact.

It said the park would now be up to two miles further away than the nine miles from Barton-on-Sea originally proposed, and the maximum number of turbines would be 218, rather than 333.

Maximum height will now be 200m, not 210m.

The total area of the seabed that will be used reduces from 198sq km to 175sq km.

Navitus added that the changes would reduce the park's capacity from 1200MW to 1100MW.

Mike Unsworth, project director for Navitus Bay Development Limited, said: “We have moved the site significantly further from the coast, reducing the potential visual and navigational impact of the wind park.

" In addition, we have reduced the maximum number of turbines in the proposal and reduced the height of the tallest turbine.

“We feel that these significant adjustments to the plans strike a good balance between responses that we have had from consultees and the technical viability from an environmental, engineering, shipping and commercial perspective.

"The changes demonstrate that Navitus Bay is fully engaged in the debate and willing to listen.”

A series of public consultation events will take place across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Dorset in February 2013.

The exhibitions will display new and improved visualisations as well as an interactive 3D model of the site and onshore cable route.