Plans to install wind turbines on farmland in the Bradenham area will once more come under the spotlight today.For nearly eight years, renewable-energy firm Ecotricity has fought to obtain permission to put up turbines at Wood Farm.

PLANS to install wind turbines on farmland in the Bradenham area will once more come under the spotlight on Monday.

For nearly eight years, renewable-energy firm Ecotricity has fought to obtain permission to put up turbines at Wood Farm.

Its plans have divided the community and the bitter planning saga has resulted in three public inquiries into the proposals, with noise issues being one of the reasons the last inquiry dismissed the plans.

In August, Breckland Council's development control committee gave temporary permission for Next Generation, a subsidiary company of Ecotricity, to put up a 70m meteorological mast at Wood Farm for one year but the application had to return to the planning committee because of complications about a piece of land providing access to the site.

Planning officers are now recommending the committee approves the application for the 70m mast for a temporary two-year period at Monday's development control committee.

Bradenham Parish Council has raised no objections but Shipdham Parish Council is objecting.

There have been 12 letters sent to Breckland from people against the plans claiming, among other things, that they would be detrimental to nearby residents, that the mast would be a precursor to an application for wind turbines, and that turbine development would harm wildlife.

A report by planning officers to the development control committee states: "It is not appropriate to refuse this application on the grounds of the planning-related history of wind energy-related developments in the locality; the local planning authority is required to determine each application on its merits."