A wind turbine revolution could be sparked in Cheshire if two applications get the go ahead.

The UK could soon find itself at the heart of Prime Minister Tony Blair's crusade to tackle global warming, if plans to site three wind energy generators at Oxheys Farm, Rushton, near Tarporley, are passed by Vale Royal Borough Council. Another application could soon follow as plans are afoot for a massive wind farm at Aston, near Frodsham. Earlier this year, Vale Royal planners voted 7-5 in favour of building a 50m meteorological mast tower to measure wind speeds. Located on Aston Grange Farm in Aston, the tower will help determine whether a Tegni Cymru CYF wind farm would be viable in the area.

But with those plans still in the pipeline, Rushton farmer Wilfred Hodgson looks set to become the first person in Cheshire to have turbines placed on his land as part of an npower renewables' energy scheme. If approved, the cluster would generate enough electricity every year to supply the average needs of about 1,600 homes. The project would also offset the annual emission of 6,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, the main gas contributing to climate change.

An application for the temporary erection of a 50m meteorological mast to confirm the wind speed at Oxheys Farm was this week submitted to Vale Royal. A planning application for the windmills - each more than the height of Nelson's Column - will be submitted next month.