PLANS to erect a ten-turbine 25 megawatt wind farm have been approved by councillors.

The Butterwick Moor windfarm will be built about a mile east of Sedgefield Village.

Work is expected to start next year and each turbine will be up to 110 metres high.

During a meeting of Sedgefield Borough Council's development control committee, councillors voted 23 to four in favour of the wind farm.

The council received 211 letters in support of the project, and 84 letters and two petitions against it with more than 500 signatures.

Developer E.ON UK said the project will contribute £7m to the local economy during its 25-year life span. The company said it would create a fund that will give more than £600,000 to local projects and initiatives.

E.ON UK also plans to put £200,000 into a landscape management fund.

The site's surroundings will benefit from 1.3km of new hedgerows, and 1.7km of access tracks will double as bridleways.

Dave Farrier, renewables development manager for the firm, said: "We're delighted because not only will the scheme provide job opportunities, it'll also produce electricity for about 10,000 homes and displace the emission of more than 40,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year."

Yesterday's decision means 17 turbines can now be built in the area.

Rival firm Wind Prospect was granted permission for a seven- turbine site on Butterwick, in February 2005.

The smaller site, adjacent to the ten-turbine site, on Butterwick Moor, was expected to be completed last October.

But Wind Prospect said last night there were delays because of a global shortage of turbines.

Tim Matthews, development engineer for Wind Prospect, said: "We are expecting our turbines to be delivered around mid-November and the project should be complete and in operation by early next year."

A spokeswoman for Sedgefield and Wynyard against Turbines said they were disappointed with the result.

"Wind turbines are inefficient, unsightly, and with seven already approved, we alreadyhave our fair share in Sedgefield," she said.