NEIGHBOURS fighting plans for a wind turbine near their homes are to be consulted over a council policy review.

Severn Trent wants to put up a turbine at Checkley Sewage Works.

It could be 132 metres high, which is taller than Big Ben.

Residents fear the turbine could create a noise, damage the landscape, devalue their houses and be harmful to their health.

Staffordshire County Council's cabinet is now reviewing its position on wind farms in the face of 12 applications currently being considered by district planning authorities.

Keith Flunder, chairman of Staffordshire Turbine Action Group (STAG), from Fole, pictured, said: "We realise that the county council does not have planning jurisdiction over the forthcoming planning application by Severn Trent Water.

"Nevertheless, this does give our members and other action groups a chance to formally bring to the attention of district planning committees their current concerns.

"This issue really is county-wide and crosses parish and district borders for miles around.

"Perhaps this review will start the ball rolling and make people realise the enormity of this wind farm issue." Checkley county councillor Mike Maryon invited the campaign group to respond to the policy review.

He said: "We are concerned about the impact on the countryside of wind turbines, and are looking closely at the place this technology has in our strategy to reduce the county's carbon emissions."