MOST residents in a County Durham village are opposed to the further development of wind farms, according to a recent poll.

Almost 83 per cent of people who responded to the survey in Cornsay Colliery, near Consett, said they did not want to see more turbines on the countryside landscape.

The survey was carried out by Cornsay Colliery Residents' Association and secretary Barbara Armstrong said the result showed the depth of public opposition.

She said: "We prefer natural power as opposed to nuclear but think they should find somewhere else to put them.

"They are an industrial development so they should find somewhere industrial to site them. They definitely shouldn't put them in the middle of the countryside. It devalues the property and they give off a certain amount of noise."

Last week Derwentside District Council gave planning permission for four 50m-high turbines at East Hedleyhope, despite strong protests from the village, which is near Cornsay Colliery.

The output from the turbines will be over five megawatts and produce enough power to supply 3,145 homes.

The nearest house will be 450m from the white or light grey structures, which will be surrounded by several farms.

About 30 villagers attended the planning meeting for lengthy debate about the energy-efficient generators. The application was passed on a vote of 15 in favour with just ward member Coun John Pickersgill in opposition.

There are already six turbines at Tow Law and two at Craghead, which make up the High Hedleyhope Windfarm.

Mrs Armstrong said: "There are already too many of them and we fear we are going to have a forest of the turbines on our doorsteps.

"We are not against the use of wind power but we don't want to see them all the time. We are worried that these decisions are opening the floodgates for more."

Derwentside District Council leader Alex Watson said no more planning applications have been submitted, but those in the future would be judged on their individual merits. He said the council was committed to a forward-looking environmentally friendly policy.

Coun Watson said: "We have to make a balanced judgement, bearing in mind we have a responsibility regarding global warming.

"We have to do something if we are to meet the challenging targets to reduce emissions from the UK and honour the UK's dedication to the Kyoto protocol.

"We have to think about future generations," he said.