THE wraps were this week taken off plans to site three giant energy turbines in the Cheshire countryside.

Energy company npower renewables unveiled its £3m plan to build a cluster of windmills - each the height of Nelson's Column - at Oxheys farm in Rushton, near Tarporley.

The company staged a presentation in the village on Wednesday and gave The Chronicle an exclusive insight into what could be Cheshire's first wind farm.

If Vale Royal Borough Council approves the plan, the move could open the floodgates for other wind farms across the Cheshire Plain.

And the need for the Oxheys wind cluster - which will offset 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year - could not be greater.

This week, Prime Minister Tony Blair said the UK was not expected to meet its pledge to cut C02 emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2010.

Dairy farmer Wilfred Hodgson, a member of Rushton Parish Council, volunteered to have a wind farm on his land as prices for dairy products threatened his livelihood.

If the plans are approved, the turbines will generate enough electricity each year to supply the needs of 1,600 homes.

The presentation followed a visit by Vale Royal planning chiefs to the company's wind farm in Kendal, Cumbria.

Npower is set to launch a planning application for the Oxheys Farm development early next year.

If passed, it could take up to 18 months to put the turbines on Mr Hodgson's land and they will stay there for a minimum of 25 years before npower must submit another application.

The turbines will be situated more than 700m from the nearest dwelling and npower is confident they will not blight the landscape or ruin views from neighbouring Beeston Castle.

Despite their assurances, the plan has not been welcomed by all.

Tarporley Parish Council is opposing the development, as is Rushton Parish Council which organised a public meeting last month.

An action group of 30 members is being led by Rushton resident David Anderson, who fears the turbines will be an eyesore. He is also worried they will interfere with aircraft landing at a nearby airfield in Darnhall.

Mr Anderson believes the plan is 'commercially driven', in helping to support Mr Hodgson's business and helping npower to apply for other Cheshire wind farms if successful. The prospect of wind farms springing up across Cheshire was criticised by Cheshire County Cllr John Burke (Con, Gowy) at a meeting of the authority's environment strategic panel.

Cllr Burke said: 'There are problems with wind turbines. They generate noise and kill birds. We should go back to nuclear power stations.'

Tory Eddisbury MP Stephen O'Brien, Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, is sitting on the fence with regard to the plan.

Mr O'Brien said: 'Our group (Tories) are not against wind farms but are sceptical about land-based turbines.'

Despite the criticism, Wilfred Hodgson is confident his wind farm will help save the planet.

'The project is environmentally friendly, will not reduce the acreage or number of buildings we use for farming and is in line with Government policy to increase renewable energy generation.'

Npower says the noise generated by all three turbines will be less than 45 decibels - quieter than a car travelling at 40mph.