CONSTRUCTION on a controversial wind farm will begin in March and be operational by the end of the year, developers have confirmed.

Banks Renewables was given planning permission for Lambs Hill wind farm, near Stillington, Stockton, four years ago and since then has been working on "technical issues".

After carrying out geological surveys it has now confirmed that construction will begin in the spring.

County Durham-based Banks is also hoping to set up a liaison committee to improve relations with local residents.

It wants representatives of locals to meet every few months to discuss any issues, and to keep residents up to date with progress.

Representatives of people living in the surrounding area, as well as delegates from Stillington & Whitton Parish Council, Bishopton Parish Council, Great Stainton Parish Meeting, Sedgefield Parish Council, Little Stainton Parish Meeting and Grindon Parish Council are being invited to put themselves forward for membership of the committee.

Residents living close to the planned wind farm have voiced strong objections to it, setting up the Lambs Hill Action Group.

They say the four turbines are too close to people's homes and will provide adverse affects including noise pollution and "shadow flicker" - an effect caused by the sun shining behind the turbine blades, casting huge, flickering shadows across the landscape.

Lewis Stokes, community relations manager at The Banks Group, said: “We are committed to ensuring that we take every care in the construction and operation of the Lambs Hill scheme, and the community liaison committee will provide a valuable forum for meeting with local people where we can ensure that they are kept up-to-date on progress with the wind farm and can raise any questions with our project team.

“Community liaison committees at our other schemes have proved very successful, and we hope to involve those people living closest to the Lambs Hill site."

Banks says local businesses will be able to tender for contracts worth up to £700,000 in construction, security, accommodation and catering.

It has also set up a community benefits fund which will provide £10,000 per year for good causes and local organisations throughout the wind farm's 25-year lifespan.

Mr Stokes added: "We firmly believe that modern, efficient, indigenous onshore wind farms like Lambs Hill have a central role to play in the UK’s future energy mix, as well as in generating more of the energy that we all use via renewable means, and are excited to be moving towards the start of construction with our latest renewable energy scheme."