AFTER leading anti-windfarm campaigns all over the world for the past 12 years, North-East environmentalist Dr David Bellamy now has a fight to stop turbines springing up on his own doorstep.

Renewable energy specialists Banks Developments, of Tow Law, County Durham, have earmarked farmland near Dr Bellamy’s home on the edge of Hamsterley Forest, for up to nine 110 metre-high turbines producing energy for 11,500 homes.

The aptly named Windy Bank scheme would cost up to £20m and would stretch from the forest’s southern boundary across fields towards the village of Woodland.

Four more turbines are also being proposed in the same area. Bolsterstone Innovative Energy are looking at siting four turbines closer to homes between the Banks site and Woodland.

Dr Bellamy said yesterday he would campaign against both windfarms.

He said: "Windfarms just don’t work. I have been fighting them all over the world since 1996 and I will fight this one all the way."

Rob Williams, renewable projects director at Banks, said yesterday he expected opposition but was confident the final scheme would have the least impact possible on residents.

He said the site had been chosen because of strong wind levels in the area and had been identified as suitable for development in the North East England Renewable Energy Strategy document.

Letters are going out today calling people to an exhibition of plans in Woodland Village Hall on Thursday May 7 from 3 to 7pm..

A scoping report will be submitted to Durham County Council in May and will investigate topics such as visual impact, noise, effects on birdlife, archaeology, aircraft radar, tourism, transport and television reception.

A full planning application could be submitted at the end of the year and the turbines operating by 2011.