Forewind said the survey that startsthis week is the last needed for its 7.2GW of planned Dogger Bank consent applications,completing £60m ($95.7m) worth of studies of the 8,700 sqkm zone.

They have included detailed geophysical,ecological and environmental work, such as 160,000km-worth of aerial birdsurveys.

Dogger Bank offers the scope fordevelopment of up to 9.6GW off eastern England.

Forewind – a consortium of RWE, SSE, Statkraft and Statoil – has already lodgedproposals for the first development stage with the UK Planning Inspectorate.

The