A PLANNING committee is being advised not to oppose proposals to create a controversial wind farm.

Npower Renewables wants to install six 100-metre high electricity-generating turbines at Shotleyfield, in Northumberland, just over the border from Shotley Bridge, in County Durham.

The scheme has provoked widespread opposition from people who live in the nearby villages of Kiln Pit Hill, Unthank and Shotley Bridge.

They feel the turbines will spoil the natural beauty of the countryside and will be too noisy.

The power company has submitted a planning application to Tynedale District Council, which has consulted with Derwentside District Council as the adjoining authority.

Derwentside's development control committee will discuss the proposal today at the Civic Centre, in Medomsley Road, Consett, at 2pm.

Development control manager Tim Wheeler has prepared a report for councillors to consider.

He advises them not to oppose the plan, but to urge Tynedale to "consider the visual aspects of the proposal rigorously, in particular the impact of the turbines when viewed from the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty".

Mr Wheeler said: "There are some obvious parallels between this proposal and planning applications considered previously by this council for wind farm developments.

"The policy context appears to be generally supportive for a wind farm in the general direction of Kiln Pit Hill, although Tynedale District Council will need to give detailed consideration to the extent which detailed policy criteria are met."

The meeting is being held at the Civic Centre on Medomsley Road in Consett at 2pm.