MILITARY chiefs are concerned the lives of their servicemen will be put at risk if plans for a controversial wind farm are given the go-ahead.

A planning application has been submitted to Darlington Borough Council outlining proposals to erect five wind turbines in the small village of Royal Oak, near Shildon, County Durham.

But the Ministry of Defence says the turbines could interfere with one of its main airfield's radar system, at RAF Leeming, five miles from Northallerton, in North Yorkshire.

And it says the structures could prove an obstacle for planes needing to make an emergency landing at RAF Leeming.

An MoD spokesman said: "The blades of a wind turbine interfere with the radar system we use for our aircraft as they show up on our screens and look like planes.

"As this development falls directly within the line of sight from RAF Leeming's air traffic control, we have no option but to oppose these plans.

"Our main priority is ensuring the safety of our aircrew and people on the ground."

Andrew Reidforth, from Flight Precision, based at Durham Tees Valley Airport, which checks on radar signals, said: "The towers on wind farms are stationary, so they are not a problem, however, their blades move and that is what shows up on the radar.

"All these returns look like planes and the air traffic controller can not tell the difference between a plane or a wind farm."

The MoD's objection is one of more than 20 to be submitted to the council.

Residents of Royal Oak and neighbouring villages are opposing the plans and some have formed the Royal Oak Action Group For Informed Decision On Wind Turbines.

Newcastle and Durham Tees Valley initially opposed the plans from EDF Energy, which has a base in Sunderland, but have since withdrawn their complaints.

EDF Energy spokesman Jonathan Levy, said: "The plans have been on the drawing boards for two years and consultations are still ongoing. We have held four public exhibitions so far and have reached agreements with the nearby airports. Consultations are still ongoing with the MoD."

The application

THE purpose of the project is to construct and operate a wind farm that will generate electricity in a sustainable manner and contribute towards the UK's target of producing ten per cent of electricity from renewable resources by 2010.

The wind farm will be located approximately 2km south-west of Shildon.

The southern part of the site is owned by an independent landowner and is known as Royal Oak Farm.

The northern section of the site is part of the Southfield Opencast scheme and is owned by UK Coal Mining Limited. Construction is expected to take place over a six-month period.

EDF Energy recently obtained planning permission for a wind farm at High Hedley II - an extension to its existing wind farm - and is also investigating wind farm developments at Trimdon Grange, Broom Hill, Langley and Nackshivan.