DALES villages could become self sufficient in home-produced green energy under a new blueprint for the North's first eco-village announced earlier today.

An enlarged biomass plant burning chipped wood left over from forestry operations is one of the main changes included in the latest master plan for a renewable energy village in Weardale, County Durham.

A 30m x 20m boiler house would supply enough electricity for every home and business in the dale.

But the use of wind power is being scaled down because of the unacceptable impact of large hilltop turbines on the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which surrounds the village's site on a former Lafarge cement works at Eastgate.

Supporters of the eco-village hope its impact on the depressed economy of Weardale will compare with that of the Eden Centre on Cornwall.

Outline designs could go forward for planning permission early next year after residents have given their views.

The unique feature of the village will still be the demonstration of all five forms of land based renewable energy available in the UK, wind, solar, hydro-electric, biomass and 'hot rocks' which will heat underground water for a spa similar to the Roman baths in Bath.

It will be a place to work, live and stay with recreation, research and education opportunities on the green energy theme. It could also be a major mountain biking centre.

Finding ways of transporting the 227,000 visitors expected every year remains a challenge for developers.

With 65,000 of these predicted to arrive by train, the new plan has cut car parking spaces on the site.

Other changes include creating a square in front of the railway station, opening a creche in the works' old joiners' shop, building a landscaped link with Eastgate village, replacing a funicular railway with a cable car or another system more suited to carry mountain bikes and moving mountain bike and toboggan tracks into the cover of woodland instead of on open slopes.

Plans for 25 holiday lets and a hostel have been dropped to encourage visitors to stay in farm and holiday cottages and other existing accommodation.

And the floorspace of flexible business units has been cut to 8,300 sq metres.

If planning permission is granted, a not-for-profit organisation will drive the project forward.

Three rounds of pubic consultation have taken place and the fourth starts next week when details are published in Wear Valley District Council's newsletter Wear Valley Matters.

John Topliss, Eastgate project manager for One NorthEast, said: "It will be a location for businesses in the growing green sector, an education resource, a tourist attraction and a source of employment as well as home for people wanting to live in one of the most eco-friendly developments in the country.

"It will be the driving force behind the regeneration of Weardale."