A factory making wind turbines could be set up in the county, creating up to 1,000 jobs.

That's the hope of officials from Locate in Kent, the agency that promotes Kent and Medway as great places for business.

They are in talks with manufacturers about a possible plant on the BP site on the Isle of Grain or anywhere else in the county with access to a deep water port.

But they face formidable competition from the North of England and Scotland.

With the UK Government and European Union demanding increased renewable energy over the next few years, more wind farms will be springing up off the coast of Kent.

It had been hoped that the massive London Array scheme off Thanet would create manufacturing jobs in Ramsgate. But that hope was dashed as the manufacturing of wind turbine manufacture fis being retained in mainland Europe, although up to 100 maintenance jobs will be created in the area.

However, officials see the boost in renewables as another chance to make Kent's case for a wind turbine factory.

Paul Wookey, LiK chief executive, confirmed that his agency was working hard to land what would be a massive deal. Speaking at the MIPIM property and development show in Cannes, Mr Wookey said: "If we can land a major turbine manufacturer in Kent, there are a significant number of jobs which will flow from that. Just on manufactruring alone, you could be looking at 500-1,000 jobs."

But he warned that pulling off such a huge deal would not be easy. "Not surprisingly, everyone is chasing those manufacturers. We are competing with the North of England and Scotland so we're in very high competitive mode out there. We have to keep putting Kent forward as best we possibly can."