PARISH councillors have got the wind up... but Christchurch planners are being recommended to grant permission for a towering turbine generator in the countryside at Burton.

Owners of the Waterditch Farm Dairy between Burton and Bransgore want to put up the 1,000-watt windmill to provide power for the isolated farmyard.

But the spectre of a 24-foot mast topped by a five-bladed propeller has raised fears among local councillors that it will be an eyesore in the greenbelt rural location and generate noise nuisance for home owners in the surrounding hamlets of Waterditch and Neacroft.

And the parish council's formal objection has forced the issue to be decided by the borough's planning control committee next week.

In her report to the meeting on Thursday, planning officer Sophie Wright said the principal considerations were the impact of the wind turbine on the character and appearance of the locality, intrusion into the openness of the greenbelt and interference with residential amenities.

She explained that the turbine would be located adjacent to a large barn in a corner of the farmyard complex which already includes a high-rise grain silo.

As an agricultural installation, the turbine would override general restrictions on new development in the countryside and alongside existing large structures on the site it would not have an adverse impact on the greenbelt or stand out within the open farmland setting.

"The height of the turbine measures 8.4 metres to the tip of the blade and is of a comparable height to the adjacent barn," Miss Wright wrote.

"Although it will be visible from Waterditch Lane and possibly longer views from Burton, it will not appear visually intrusive or cause material harm to the character and appearance of the locality."

And while Miss Wright admitted the rotation of the four-foot blades of the turbine fan could create some background noise she did not think it would cause problems for occupiers of the small number of properties close to the farm.