Plans to double to size of two wind farms off the north Norfolk coast have taken another step forward.

The Planning Inspectorate has now accepted an application for a 'development consent order' from Norwegian state-owned energy giant Equinor, which wants to expand Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon wind farms.

Equinor submitted the order for the project in early September.

Kari Hege Mørk, project director, said: “We are very pleased with this decision, and we will be offering our full co-operation to the Planning Inspectorate throughout the coming examination period."

There will now be a six-week consultation period where different stakeholders will get to have their say on the application, before it is considered by the Inspectorate.

The two wind farms currently consist of 155 turbines, and although 95 are planned for the expansion, the new ones will be much bigger - taller than the Eiffel Tower at 330m.

The expansion means the wind farms could power 1.5 million homes.