Wind farm bosses at Vattenfall are to leave their Whitstable base by the end of the year.

The Swedish company, which manages the Kentish Flats offshore wind farm, is to move its operation from the town’s harbour to Ramsgate.

It will allow the company to maintain the wind farm without having to deal with tidal restrictions it currently faces in Whitstable.

Vattenfall site manager Tony Francis said: “The Kentish Flats offshore wind farm has been serviced from Whitstable Harbour for more than 10 years.

“We have had an exceptionally good relationship with the harbour and its staff who have helped contribute to the success of our operations.

“We will very much miss working from Whitstable but moving out of this facility allows us to maintain the Kentish Flats offshore wind farms without tidal restrictions.”

Vattenfall spokesman Jason Ormiston said that the company was now focusing its operations in Ramsgate.

He said: “As our wind farm capacity off the Kent coast has grown from 30 turbines 10 years ago to 145 now and staff numbers from around a dozen to over 70, we have focused operations on our Ramsgate harbour facility.

“Naturally we will miss them when they leave, but understand the reasons why and wish them well for the future..." - Cllr Pat Todd

“This is because we want to maximise the time available to deliver maintenance on the Kentish Flats turbines.

“As the use of Whitstable Harbour to service the turbines is subject to the tides we believe our maintenance operations are better delivered from Ramsgate, which allows maintenance without tidal restrictions.”

Cllr Pat Todd, chairman of Whitstable Harbour Board, said Vattenfall would be missed. “We’ve enjoyed having Vattenfall at the harbour and are pleased to have played a role in their wind farm work,” he said.

“Naturally we will miss them when they leave, but understand the reasons why and wish them well for the future.

“We’ll be here should they ever want to return.”