RESIDENTS of a County Durham village in the centre of several wind farm developments say they have had enough of the turbines.

Almost 83 per cent of people who responded to a survey in Cornsay Colliery, near Consett, said they did not want to see more turbines on the landscape.

Last week, Derwentside District Council gave planning permission for four 50- metre-high turbines at nearby East Hedleyhope, despite villagers' protests.

There are already six turbines at Tow Law and two at Craghead, which make up the High Hedleyhope wind farm.

The survey was carried out by Cornsay Colliery Residents' Association and secretary Barbara Armstrong said the result showed the depth of public opposition.

She said: "We prefer natural power as opposed to nuclear, but think they should find somewhere else to put them.

"They are an industrial development, so they should find somewhere industrial to site them.

"They definitely shouldn't put them in the middle of the countryside.

"It devalues properties and they give off a certain amount of noise."

About 30 people attended last week's planning meeting, which included a lengthy debate about the generators.

However, the application was passed, with 15 in favour and only ward member Councillor John Pickersgill, in opposition.

Mrs Armstrong said: "There are already too many of them and we fear we are going to have a forest of the turbines on our doorsteps.

"We are not against the use of wind power, but we don't want to see them all the time.

"We are worried that these decisions are opening the floodgates for more."

District Council leader Councillor Alex Watson said no more planning applications had been submitted but those in the future would be judged on their individual merits.

He said the council was committed to a forward-looking environmentally-friendly policy.

"We have to make a balanced judgement, bearing in mind we have a responsibility regarding global warming," he said. "The ice caps are melting and it is a serious issue affecting the Earth.

"We have to have to do something if we are to meet the challenging targets to reduce emissions from the UK and honour the UK's dedication to the Kyoto protocol.

"We have to think about future generations."