WIND turbines could be about to put local councillors in a spin.

Three possible turbines over 100ft tall may be put up in the South Hams countryside.

It is likely they will be visible from Dartmouth and many town councillors are divided over their benefits.

Dittisham Parish Council, too, says there has been a lot of 'emotive' interest over the biggest of the three proposals – which would see a turbine taller than Exeter Cathedral built on land belonging to parish councillor Keith Wotton.

Dartmouth town councillor Cllr Robin Springett doesn't like them and said they would have to run for 35 years to save the amount of carbon used in their construction.

'I think they stink and with no wind they are bloody useless,' he told a meeting of the town council's planning committee last week.

Cllr Springett added that land­owners were attracted by high Government subsidies.

But Cllr Tony Fyson maintained, with things such as climate change to consider, there were many good reasons for having alternative means of power. And any application should be considered on planning grounds, he said.

Committee chairman Cllr David Gent said that even if the turbines were noisy and intrusive, it took years to build a power station and wind turbines were a vast improvement on nuclear waste.

'The National Grid has issued a statement saying they can just about keep the lights on this winter and because so many power stations are out of commission, it's time we stopped putting sticking plaster on,' he said.

Cllr Dave Cawley called the turbines 'unsightly and noisy'.

Councillors were discussing the possible construction of three wind turbines – two 34.2m (112ft) 50kW structures being considered on agricultural land at West Norton Farm on the outskirts of Dartmouth and another on land north of Capton in the parish of Dittisham, by Mosscliff Environmental.

The Exeter-based company is seeking feedback from nearby residents up until November 18 before submitting planning applications to South Hams Council.

Birmingham-based Fine Energy is also looking to build a 45m (148ft) wind turbine at Downton Farm, Ditti­sham.

Following last month's front page story in the Chronicle about the turbine proposal, Henry Harvey, of nearby Bozomzeal, has written to Fine Energy expressing his concerns.

In a letter copied to the Chronicle, he wrote: 'Hav­ing experienced the noise of wind turbines on a friend's farm in North Wales, it would be quite obtrusive in our particularly quiet hamlet, especially as we would be directly in line with the prevailing wind.

'As we live in an area of outstanding landscape and area of outstanding natural beauty, such a turbine would spoil this beautiful South Hams.

'It would be very visible from the main road approaching Dartmouth from Norton Park; some Norton Park properties; north-facing houses in Dartmouth and Townstal; many north west-facing houses in Kingswear; the road approaching Dittisham from the Sportsmans Arms; the Dart Valley Trail above Bozomzeal; and Bozom­zeal Lane, near the fire beacon.

'My German friends think that our landscape is one of our greatest assets and they feel we should protect it from wind farms. It is not that I am against green energy, far from it.

'I have written to our MP on this subject. The Govern­ment should first promote solar energy on all Govern­ment and council-owned properties, light industrial and agricultural buildings, even south-facing waste land owned by Network Rail, and new housing, by law if necessary, but not on good arable land. Even the Church of England should be putting solar panels on their south-facing roofs, which would help their finances and the local community.

'I hope you will consider the aggravation this causes in communities and not proceed with your application.

'I wonder whether the posters Dartmouth Business Improvement District are producing will have to make sure they don't include wind turbines.'

Dittisham Parish Council was due to discuss the proposal, for which a formal planning application has yet to be made, on Wednesday.

Parish council chairman Mike Faulkner said: 'This is a very emotive issue and there is a lot of heart rending going on.

'We have had a lot of communication on it and there is a lot of interest.'

He said, although councillors were not being asked to consider a formal planning application, the meeting would probably issue some sort of response.

'If and when a formal planning application is on the table, we will hold a further, fuller debate when members of the public will again have the opportunity to have their say,' he said.

Councillors were also likely to touch on the other two proposals.

He said Cllr Wotton would not be taking part in the debate.

His wife, Shirley, told the Chronicle that she would 'reserve judgement' until after Wednesday night's parish council meeting.