FEARS have been raised that the Hambleton district could be the focus for a raft of wind-farm developments.

The district, which includes the market towns of Northallerton, Thirsk, Bedale, Stokesley and Easingwold, has been identified as having massive potential for wind turbines.

Figures produced in a report commissioned by the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly and the Government Office for the Yorkshire and Humber said Hambleton could produce 40 mega watts of energy from wind power by 2010 - the equivalent of 20 turbines.

The potential energy figure is more than double that for any other district in North Yorkshire and equal to that identified for both the East Riding of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

Felicity Everiss, Government Office regional director, said: "The local targets suggested here for 2010 are very challenging, but they are an important step in helping us focus on how the renewable energy targets the region has set itself will be met."

Similar figures also form part of a strategy being produced by the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly. It is due to be submitted to the Government in the autumn.

The figures have yet to be made into firm policies but the Government is looking for ten per cent of electricity needs to come from renewable sources by 2010.

The campaign group Revolt (Rural England Versus Overhead Lines Transmission), which was set up to fight plans for a line of pylons from Teesside to York, is trying to raise awareness of the issue.

Group chairman, Prof Mike O'Carroll said: "The Hambleton district is targeted to have more than double any other district in North Yorkshire.

"Why it should be targeted like that, I don't know.

"It has just come out of a consultant's report, so the research is done miles away."

Steve Quartermain, director of planning and environmental services at Hambleton District Council, said: "It is a consultation exercise and we are asking questions such as what is the basis for there being more in Hambleton than anywhere else.

"Is it windier here?

"There are constraints about building them close to airfields, and we have RAF Leeming and Linton-on-Ouse,andconstraints about building them in national parks."