BURY residents have given a huge vote of support to Scout Moor Wind Farm according to United Utilities, the company behind the £50 million project.

In a phone poll commissioned by United Utilities and carried out by independent research agency MORI, a total of 76 per cent of local people asked reportedly gave their backing to the proposal, a joint venture by United Utilities and Peel Holdings.

Ten per cent of people asked were against the proposal, with another 14 per cent in the "don't know" category.

The MORI North poll, involving 489 random telephone interviews, was carried out in Bury, Rossendale and Rochdale over 17 days in August and September.

In answer to the question: Are you in favour of a wind farm at Scout Moor? 72 per cent of people in the three towns agreed the wind farm was a "very" or "fairly good" idea, according to MORI.

Paul Hunt, project manager for Scout Moor Wind Farm, said: "We've always known there is considerable support for the wind farm in the area but their voices aren't always heard above the small but vocal minority who oppose the project.

"The poll is consistent with opinion polls throughout the UK, which show public support for wind farms."

The Scout Moor plan is for 26 quiet, modern turbines supplying power to more than 51,000 homes.

It would save the release of more than 4.75 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas contributing to global warming, over its 25-year working life. That is the equivalent of 51,000 family cars travelling 12,000 miles a year for 25 years.

Bury Council, by contrast, is set to object to the wind farm when its planning committee meets on Tuesday (Oct 7).

Planning officers are recommending that members oppose the scheme on the grounds of it having "a significant negative impact" on the visual amenity of the area. They would prefer to see wind energy generated by off-shore farms.

The ultimate decision is not Bury's to make, because the farm lies outside the borough, but it can submit comments to neighbouring councils and the Government.