The world's largest floating wind farm has been approved by the Scottish Government.

The £250m development near Aberdeen will harness enough energy to provide for almost 56,000 homes and prevent CO2 emissions of more than 94,500 tonnes per year.

It is estimated the project will create about 110 jobs during the assembly, installation and maintenance of eight turbines about nine miles south east of the city.

Operators Kincardine Offshore Windfarm Limited expects the first turbine to be on site in the second quarter of 2018.

Lindsay Roberts, senior policy manager at Scottish Renewables, said: "Scotland is home to approximately 25% of Europe's offshore wind resource and we are now starting to build projects which will harness this potential."

Project director Carlos Barat said the project would "open up new opportunities for other offshore floating wind developments".

"This will herald a new era allowing turbines to be installed in deeper waters further offshore," he added.

The announcement has been welcomed by environmentalists.

WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: "The continued development of floating turbines in Scotland is encouraging as it could enable us and other nations to secure even more clean power from offshore wind."