HUNDREDS of people are expected at a high-charged planning meeting tonight which could change the Purbeck skyline for generations.

District planners will vote on whether or not to give the green light to plans for a wind farm at East Stoke.

Purbeck District Council officers have recommended the planning board refuse permission, on the grounds the four turbines – each standing 125 metres tall – would “detrimentally effect and detract” from the natural landscape.

Officers also feel the noise and dominating height of the turbines would have an adverse effect on nearby homes and an adjacent scouting campsite.

Herb Lindlahr, project manager from Infinergy – the green energy company behind the bid – says their proposals are well within regulations and they have plenty of local support.

In fact, the overwhelming majority of written responses from Purbeck residents to district planners do support the application.

Of 723 responses to the district council, 544 favour the wind farm bid at Masters Quarry, Puddletown Road, with just 179 against.

Proposed site landowner Will Bond said: “So many people now are aware of the need to address our energy needs that the amount of support for this application perhaps should not be surprising, but it is great – |75 per cent of people in favour is amazing.

“It is really good to see how many understand the merits of the location, the benefits to the heathland and the integration with the restoration of the quarry where the turbines are to be sited.”

However, a petition against the proposed wind farm – with 1,100 signatures – has been lodged with the council.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England and Dorset Against Rural Turbines (DART) are mobilising objectors to demonstrate at tonight’s meeting at The Purbeck School, Wareham.

Terry Stewart, president of Dorset CPRE, said: “Certainly there is strong local feeling so we expect a good turnout.”

The meeting starts at 7pm tonight.