A £30m scheme to create the North-East's biggest wind farm was granted planning permission yesterday.

The proposals involve building 18 huge turbines - each the height of St Paul's Cathedral in London - on derelict land at the former Corus steelworks site at Redcar.

The 100 metre high turbines would be the UK's largest 'brownfield' wind farm, supplying enough electricity for the needs of 30,000 homes or 72,000 people - more than half the population of Redcar and Cleveland borough.

The Tees Wind North project was designed and developed by AMEC and Corus and may be used as a blueprint to develop similar wind farms on nine other Corus sites in the UK and northern Europe.

Permission to develop the 911 hectare site was yesterday approved by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. The developers now say it may become operational before the end of 2003.

The proposal is part of a number of schemes suggested for the regeneration of the area in the wake of job losses at the steel firm.

Both companies predict the project will provide various opportunities for the region, including creating jobs in the construction, maintenance and servicing of the turbines over their expected 25-year lifespan.

They also hope it could attract new investment in the form of the manufacture of components.

Last night, Dr Graham Hillier, director of construction at Corus, said: "It is a landmark decision for the development of the renewables industry for both Corus and the Teesside region."

David Still, general manager of AMEC's wind business, said: "We hope that local industry will capitalise on the start we have made by diversifying into supplying this rapidly-growing market.