PLANS to build the country's largest onshore windfarm could be resurrected.

Steel manufacturer Corus and engineering company Amec were awarded planning permission for the renewable energy project in 2002.

It was hoped work on the 18-turbine windfarm on Corus' 900-hectare site in Redcar, Teesside, would be complete by the following year.

But the uncertainty of job security at the company in the past two years has seen plans put on hold.

Ian Swales, the Liberal Democrat's prospective parliamentary candidate for Redcar, is urging all parties to bring renewable energy to Teesside. He said: "I can well understand that Corus management have had other priorities with the uncertainties of the last two years.

"However, now that we have had the great news guaranteeing a long-term future for employees, it is time to pick up this project again."

He said it could be that the companies no longer wanted to go ahead with the development, and said: "In that case, I feel they should lease the land to another operator.

"There is no shortage of companies looking for sites to develop these facilities, and here we have a large site with planning permission already granted."

The £30m Tees Wind North scheme was the result of a 12-month partnership between Amec and Corus.

There was also potential for development of similar windfarms on nine Corus sites in the UK and across northern Europe.

After plans were given the go-ahead, it was hoped the windfarm could have been operational before the end of 2003.

At the time, it was said the windfarm could supply enough electricity to power 30,000 households -more than half the population of Redcar and Cleveland.

Mr Swales said: "The country needs the renewable energy. The windfarm would contribute significantly to both regional and national targets for wind-generated power."

David Hodkinson, the managing director of Amec's wind energy business, said: "Now that the future of the site has been secured, we are hoping to reopen discussions with Corus as soon as possible to progress the implementation of this pioneering project, which remains the largest consented onshore windfarm in England."