Plans to build more wind turbines

Plans for four more wind turbines near a County Durham village were due to be considered on Thursday.

Planners at Derwentside District Council are recommending conditional approval of the development on a hillside overlooking Burnhope.

Objectors say they feel they have no real power to stand up against the developments and there are too many turbines in the area.

But supporters say turbines are crucial in developing renewable energy.

Cattle spooked

Farmer Jane Gray is one of those who objected. She says she can already see 14 turbines from her home.

She said: "Our main concern, apart from that they are going to be extremely close to the farm and extremely tall, is that there seems to be absolutely no way of objecting to the wind farm and the planning system doesn't seem to be able to do anything to stop the increasing spread of them."

She is also worried her cattle could get spooked by the effect of sunshine bouncing off the turbines' blades.

Alison Hill, from the British Wind Energy Association, said: "Wind turbines are the technology we have available to us now to start tackling climate change and to start making renewable electricity here in the UK.

"So they are leading the way, they are the vanguard of the renewables revolution.

"Everything that we do to develop wind technology - the planning system, the market on all the infrastructure - will go to help the other renewables when they come to commercial deployment, but unfortunately they are just not ready yet."