PROPOSALS for three wind turbines a few miles from a site where an energy firm wants to create England’s biggest wind farm have been recommended for refusal.

Planning officers say Foxton Hill, near Sedgefield, County Durham, is too close to housing and, together with a third wind farm that already has permission, Lambs Hill, the effect would be “overbearing”.

After Durham County Council failed to reach a decision in the statutory time period, the decision was referred to the Government Planning Inspectorate.

Meanwhile, objectors to The Isles, an E.on project to erect up to 45 turbines west of Foxton Hill, are frustrated that the Government will automatically decide on that scheme because of its size.

David Walker, principal planning officer at the county council, said a consultation raised a number of issues from interested parties, which required further information from the applicant.

He said: “The developer was also required to submit further, additional information when a similar development nearby at Lambs Hill was submitted to a neighbouring council.

“This also added to the delay in determining this application.”

Wind Prospect’s plans for Foxton Hill call for three 2MW-turbines with an overall height of 110m, hard standings and associated infrastructure.

The scheme would operate for 25 years during which time £225,000 would be made available for community projects focusing on carbon reduction.

At least 138 letters of objection to the scheme have been received by the council with many people concerned about the cumulative effect of the number of separate wind farms in the area.

Foxton Hill is about two miles east of The Isles and although E.on is yet to submit its plans for the site critics say there are already too many turbines in the area.

Seventeen are operating in Butterwick Moor and Walkway wind farms, about three miles north-east of the site.

As well as the Lambs Hill site, permission has also been granted to erect five turbines in Red Gap Moor, near Wolviston, Teesside.

In his report to the council, Mr Walker said that each application has to be judged on its own merits, but he noted correspondence calling for a halt to new wind farms developments.

Objectors, including Phil Wilson, MP for Sedgefield, believe local planning authorities should not decide on each wind farm application in isolation and instead adopt a regional strategy.

Councillors will decide whether or not they would back the recommendations, if they could, when they meet on Tuesday.