We'll produce new images of wind farm - but only if new guidelines tell us to, say Navitus

The developer proposing to construct a wind farm off the Dorset coast has said it will consider producing revised images, if new draft guidance is adopted.

Navitus Bay Development Ltd (NBDL) insists it is right to produce its visualisations according to Scottish Natural Heritage's recommendations from 2006, which it says is recognised as best practice.

But Scottish Natural Heritage has recently published a draft revision that calls for images at the scale used by wind farm opponents Challenge Navitus.

Dr Andrew Langley, of Challenge Navitus, said: "While visual impact is just one issue, this wind farm would have a very significant effect on our seascape, so it is important to know how it might look.

"At the moment, only our website challengenavitus.org.uk has reference images of the radical proposal in line with the latest developments in guidance.

"It's up to NBDL to follow suit.

"We are concerned that many people may already have been swayed by images that do not give a proper perception of scale and distance."

Mike Unsworth, project director of Navitus Bay, said: "As a responsible developer, Navitus Bay has always produced visualisations in accordance with industry standards."

He said they would continue to follow the 2006 recommendations until revised guidance was formally published, when they would review their approach and produce a new set of photomontages "if appropriate".

"To date Challenge Navitus has refused to produce visualisations that comply fully with industry standards and in fact has disputed their validity," he said.

"In the interests of openness, we would urge them to do as we have done and adopt the current standards in both the development and production of their images."