RWE npower has slashed the number of turbines it plans to install at the Atlantic Array offshore wind farm in the Bristol Channel by more than a third, in a bid to appease local concerns that the project will create a blot on the landscape.

The utility had originally planned to install 417 wind turbines at the Round 3 site located in the channel between North Devon and South Wales.

But it today unveiled plans to cap the number of turbines at 279 in response to concerns by nearby residents about the impact of the wind farm on the view. RWE will informally consult on the new plans this summer, before submitting for final consent to the planning inspectorate in December 2012.

However, it remains unclear by how much the changed plans will reduce the overall capacity of the project.

Robert Thornhill, RWE’s Atlantic Array development manager, said it was still expecting to apply for consent for the maximum capacity of up to 1.5GW, with turbines ranging from 3.6MW to 8MW.

If the company installs 278 turbines with a 3.6MW capacity, it could deliver 1GW of capacity. However, 5MW machines could create a total capacity of nearly 1.4GW.

Thornhill said the changes would reduce the view of the wind farm by around 40 per cent in North Devon and by 30 per cent in South Wales.

“We have listened to the feedback received during our formal community consultation held during autumn 2011 and analysed the results of our environmental and engineering assessments,” he said.

“After taking full consideration of environmental and engineering factors, and in response to the feedback from the public, we have revised the proposed offshore wind farm boundary and made alterations to the maximum number of turbines.”