AN ALTERNATIVE energy company has launched a campaign to gain support for wind power just weeks before its application to erect turbines in the Winterborne valley comes before planners.

Your Energy, which wants to put up nine turbines near Winterborne Zelston, is part of the British Wind Energy Association - the organisation behind Embrace the Revolution which spells out the advantages of wind power.

Your Energy director Charles Sandham said polls consistently showed that the majority of people supported wind energy.

Another scheme by National Wind Power for a much bigger farm near Winterborne Kingston bit the dust this summer when landowner Richard Drax backed out following residents' protests.

Mr Sandham said he thought his company's project would be more welcome.

"We actually believe there's a right size for wind farms," he said.

Dorset Against Rural Turbines spokesperson Julien Turner said representatives from the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, Lower Winterborne parish council members and DART activists would be turning out in force for the specially convened meeting at The Blandford School on October 26 which would consider the application.

"As more and more people learn the full effects, they're becoming increasingly wary of this form of renewable energy."

First published: September 23