Planning permission for wind farms will be easier to obtain as a result of new guidance issued to local authorities this week.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has advised planning rules from 1993, issued before renewable energy programmes were developed, have been updated.

The Government has told councillors to ignore protests from residents who think wind farms are a scar on the landscape, not a reliable source of energy and do not produce enough energy.

Planning permission for wind farms in the North-East has already caused controversy with many people objecting to them being built close to their homes.

The Durham Action Against Wind Farms group is opposing plans from EDF Energy to develop farms at Royal Oak, near Shildon, Oakenshaw, near Willington, and Trimdon Grange, near Sedgefield, and from H J Banks to build up to 25 turbines at Satley, near Tow Law.

The new guidelines state wind farms and other renewable energy sources should be permitted within areas such as national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and heritage coasts provided there is no significant environmental detriment to the area.

The Government has a target of achieving 10 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2010.

With the new proposals it is hoped the average time of 12 months for a planning application to be decided will be improved and help achieve the target.

The Government said by setting out the new guidelines it hoped to promote and encourage, rather than restrict, the development of renewable energy resources to promote and encourage, rather than restrict, the development of renewable energy resources.

It also allows renewable energy targets at regional and sub-regional levels to be set.

The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) last night welcomed the Government's stance. Robert Shaw, TCPA policy officer, said: "The emphasis on improved community involvement in renewable energy projects is also a very welcome move towards overcoming opposition."