A Staffordshire councillor has called on villagers to make their voices heard over proposals for four 400ft wind turbines at a picturesque rural spot.

A 250ft wind monitoring mast has already sprung up on land at Haunton Manor, close to Clifton Campville and Thorpe Constantine, in Lichfield district, to assess whether the site is suitable for harnessing wind power. Councillor Matthew Ellis said it was crucial that local people should have their say before any final decisions, given the “enormity” of the proposed scheme.

He urged villagers to be on the alert for a planning application for the wind turbines themselves being submitted to Lichfield District Council.

“So often, even on substantial planning applications, people don’t get to hear of them until after it’s too late and miss the time to have their say,” he said.

“The final application is something which would change the skyline dramatically in the immediate area.

“At 400ft high, the wind turbines would dwarf St Andrew’s Church in Clifton and probably be visible from most of Lichfield and Tamworth.”

Tory Councillor Ellis, who represents Lichfield Rural East on the county council, said wind turbines were controversial and presented a difficult issue.

“It is right that we should be looking for more renewable energy, but I’m very conscious of all the varying views about the efficiency of wind power and, particularly, inland turbines as opposed to offshore.”

Lichfield District Council voted in favour of allowing German energy firm Prowind to construct the temporary mast near Clifton Campville in October last year, despite a plea from ward councillor Ellen Fleetwood to think twice before giving the go-ahead.

It will measure wind speeds and direction at the site over a two year period.

Depending on the data produced, the temporary mast could pave the way for towering turbines to be installed on the site, which is owned by a Lichfield district councillor and farmer, Philip Bennion.