A CONTROVERSIAL wind farm project could become a factor in the revival of a dale which is being hit by job losses next month.

Energy company National Windpower is asking planning officials for their views on a project at Rookhope, in Weardale, which is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The site is a few miles away from Eastgate, where Lafarge Cement shuts its Blue Circle works on August 9, with the loss of 150 jobs.

A task force looking for ways of boosting the dale's economy is discussing the move with National Windpower, but it would be bound to be given a hostile reaction by some Rookhope residents, who set up an opposition group to fight an earlier plan.

Any new development would be scaled down from the original proposals, but would still be one of the biggest in the country with 20 turbines each 90 metres high.

The company has approached the planning authority, Wear Valley District Council, to seek its views.

It says tourism would be boosted through a visitor centre it would build in Rookhope.

That could be linked by bus with Stanhope station, if the redundant Weardale railway line reopens.

Project director Dr Martin Marais said yesterday that turbines built elsewhere in the region had proved popular

He said: "We still believe the Rookhope area is a very good site. We have asked the council for their views.

"One of the issues that we are presently very keen on is to maximise the benefits to the whole Weardale area.

"That has become even more important now as far as economics are concerned. The visitor centre in particular could bring huge benefits.

"We have discussed investing in the Weardale Railway and about running a shuttle bus from Stanhope station to the visitor centre."

One NorthEast chairman Dr John Bridge, who heads the task force, said: "We have asked the people involved in the windfarm project to look at it again. It is one of a number of ideas being considered as we look for ideas which will bring long-term benefits for Weardale."