FAMILIES living in a small village are joining forces to fight plans to install wind turbines on a hillside overlooking their homes.

Residents of Sunniside, near Tow Law, have already started a petition and are forming an action group to protest against the proposals.

Power company Amec Project Investments Ltd have applied to erect the turbines on an area of grassland that used to be an opencast mine, owned by HJ Banks.

The company is seeking permission from planners at Wear Valley District Council to install the two masts, 107m high to the blade tip, on a site known as Stanley Moss.

It is also believed that another energy supplier is looking to install three wind turbines at nearby Broom Hill, north of Stanley, Crook, and Sunniside.

Villagers fear that the machines will overshadow the village and blight a pretty spot, which they have come to treasure.

One resident said: "After the opencast was closed, trees were planted and a pond was built, which makes the footpaths around there really nice. There is a lot of wildlife in the area which people enjoy seeing while walking or riding horses in the area. I would hate local nature to be affected by these plans.

"The village has improved a lot over recent years, people are starting to build new homes here and residents are proud of the place. It is starting to come alive.

"Large turbines would really set us back. It would ruin the views of the village and windows from every single home will look on to them."

It is the second planning battle the village has faced over the site. About a decade ago HJ Banks applied to use the site, which was mined for clay and coal, as a waste disposal dump but its use was restricted to excavation.

Despite the objections of many residents the applicant believes the overall concept is winning the support of others, who back the move towards producing environmentally friendly energy.

The application is expected to go before the council's development control committee in late April.