VILLAGERS are fighting plans for a massive wind farm on their doorsteps. Members of Acton Bridge Parish Council claim proposals to build a wind farm at Aston, on the opposite bank of the River Weaver, would ruin the surrounding countryside. They claim the huge generators which are more than 400ft tall would be both visible and audible from parts of Acton Bridge, and neighbouring villages like Crowton and Kingsley. Councillor Steve Pardoe, of the parish council, said: 'The proposed site at Aston Grange is very prominent, and the massive towers and turbine blades would be clearly visible above the skyline to the northwest of Acton Bridge. 'Neighbouring villages such as Crowton and Kingsley would be similarly affected. 'The overall site area is about 100 hectares and it's just a couple of fields away from the Trent and Mersey Canal conservation area as well as the Weaver Valley Area of Special Local Environmental Value, so it's hard to imagine a more insensitive choice of site. 'It's notable that Prime Minister Tony Blair, while publicly supporting renewable energy, put his political weight behind opposition to a wind farm in his own constituency. If he doesn't want one in his back yard at Trimdon Grange, why should we have one in ours?' Weaver Vale MP Mike Hall, who Cllr Pardoe says was very influential in the campaign against plans by Network Rail and the National Grid to put a substation and trackside feeder station on the green belt in Weaverham and Acton Bridge, agrees with the campaigners. He said: 'I am totally opposed to the proposal on Aston Grange Farm. If granted, these four turbines would have a hugely detrimental effect on the beautiful visual amenity of the Weaver Valley, they would be truly out of character with the countryside environment and they would constitute an unacceptable development in the designated green belt of Vale Royal. When the planning application comes forward I will vigorously oppose it. 'Having fought the proposals by Network Rail and the National Grid, I will do all I can to ensure that this planning application goes no further forward.' Developers Tegni Cymru is seeking permission to erect four wind turbines - 80m-high towers and 45m-long blades, giving an overall tip height of 125m - plus a substation, access tracks and a permanent wind monitoring mast on Aston Grange Farm. Each turbine would be up to three megawatts in capacity, giving the site the potential to | 
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