VILLAGERS are joining forces to fight two plans for wind turbines on the outskirts of Hamsterley Forest.

People living in Woodland and Hamsterley will be invited to join the Woodland Area Action Group to oppose plans by renewable energy specialist Banks, of Tow Law, to create a 20m-high nine-turbine wind farm at Windy Bank on farmland.

In addition, Bolsterstone Innovative Energy wants to erect four turbines closer to homes between the Banks site and Woodland.

Residents in villages such as Hamsterley, Woodland and Copley are worried that, as well as ruining the view from their homes, turbines could spoil views from Hamsterley Forest.

The new group has been inspired by the Bolam Area Action Group, set up to fight a plan by Npower Renewables for a wind farm on the outskirts of the village.

Both groups have met, and this week Bolam representatives spoke at meetings in Hamsterley and Copley.

Alistair Rutter, of Woodland, is helping to set up the new group and has so far collected 37 signatures of people against the plans.

“We would be worried about how the wind farms would affect both the villages and the forest,” he said.

“If there are massive wind turbines everywhere, there is a chance that it will not be as appealing to tourists.

We are also concerned about the long term.

“The wind farm in Tow Law started off with just six turbines, but now has 30. If the energy companies get their way, who knows where they are going to stop?”

More than 40 people attended a meeting and presentation in Hamsterley on Wednesday evening.

John Wilson, of the Bolam group, said: “We were impressed by how well attended it was and there were some very good questions asked.

“We were happy to come and speak to people in Hamsterley. The wind farms there would be further from houses than at Bolam, so if it wasn’t for the fact there is a forest there, it wouldn’t be a bad scheme.

“But there is no doubt the turbines would infringe on the forest.”

Mr Wilson, an environmental scientist, recently travelled to London to meet people from around the UK concerned about wind farms.

He will join a new lobby group which will fight wind farm plans.