FEARS that government proposals for the development of renewable energy will lead to a rush of wind turbines have been raised at a district council meeting.

It would take 46,000 turbines, of the kind rejected for Barningham Moor, to produce the amount of energy proposed, Coun Robin Simpson told members of Teesdale District Council. And he felt they would all be pushed towards the North, because there was no land available in the South.

His comments were in response to a report presented to members by Mr Tony Seaman, the council's director of development services, which said the main aspects of the proposals affecting the North-East and Teesdale related to onshore wind power.

Meeting the onshore wind target for County Durham would mean between 17 and 33 turbines. National parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty should not be seen as absolute "no-go" areas for wind energy.

Coun Ken Coates wanted to know if planning officers had identified areas where they would be put.

Mr Seaman said their report, which had been submitted to the Government Office for the North-East, said they would be more in favour of smaller developments.

Within Teesdale, there were parts of two areas that had suitable wind speeds, namely the North Pennines and the Durham coalfield Pennine fringe. The North Pennines was considered suitable only for small wind clusters with a separation distance of 12m, while the coalfield fringe was considered capable of accommodating large wind farms with a separation distance of 20km.

Several councillors remained concerned about the expense of paying for future planning inquiries such as had happened with Barningham Moor.

The full report submitted to GoNE is available on the internet at www.go-ne.gov.uk.

Reunion sought,

half a century

after term ends

A FORMER Darlington schoolboy is trying to trace his old classmates to hold a re-union almost 50 years after attending their final lesson together.

Mr Ernie Dixon last saw his fellow pupils at Albert Road secondary school in the summer of 1951, but despite losing touch with many of them, he is confident of tracking them down.

The 63-year-old, of Willow Road, Darlington, spent three years at the school, from 1948 to 1951, and made many friends. When he bumped into a former classmate, he decided to try to arrange the reunion.

To contact Mr Dixon, call 01325 483265.

Motorists' party

THE Northallerton group of the Institute of Advanced Motorists held its Christmas party at the Lodge, Leeming Bar, on Tuesday of last week. The next meeting, on January 10, includes a talk on the history and aims of the institute. For details, tel Mr Tom Vickers on 01748 823288