Artist Impression. Organic farmer Adam TwineTHE foundations of a wind farm outside Watchfield will finally be dug on Saturday after a 10-year planning battle.

The five-turbine wind farm on the Old Airfield, Westmill Farm, Watchfield, will have 164-ft towers about the height of Nelson's Column and will cost around £3.5m to build.

Wind-powered blades will create enough power to fuel 2,500 homes with green electricity.

Farmer Adam Twine, 42, who runs an organic farm at Westmill, won planning permission for the turbines in 1999.

His application to extend the length of the blades from 26m to 31m was narrowly rejected by planners at the Vale of the White Horse District Council in October. He has appealed and the decision will be made by deputy prime minister John Prescott later this year.

In addition, Mr Twine wanted to paint the turbines in rainbow colours. But in April this year, planners decided they must be grey to fit in with the most common colour of the sky.

Mr Twine said: "As climate change gets worse people will realise we have to bite this bullet, address our dependence on fossil fuels and look at the wider picture, rather than the view from the back window."

Vale of the White Horse district councillor Peter Saunders (Con, Shrivenham) said the people in Watchfield who live closest to the site are still resolutely against the scheme.

"There is still strong feeling against the wind farm from the people who will be most affected," he said.

"These turbines produce low frequency noise and this is causing a big concern. Doctors have done research in other areas with wind farms that show it can cause anxiety and sleep disturbance.

"The farmer has the permission for the smaller turbines but these may not even be viable to run."

The launch of the first community wind farm on Saturday will be celebrated with music, kites and digging the first foundations.

Beforehand the public is invited to attend an exhibition at The Old Town Hall, Faringdon, from 10am to 4pm to learn more about the scheme before going along to the launch of the co-operative.

The wind farm will be owned collectively by Energy 4 All, a co-oeperative of 1,300 people, which owns two wind farms in Cumbria.

Preference for joining the co-operative is given to those who live in the district, ensuring maximum benefits from the scheme remain in the local community.

The minimum cost of becoming a member is £250 and a savings scheme will be put in place before the share offer is launched. Each member has an equal say in how the co-op is run.

For more information visit www.energy4all.co.uk or call 01229 821028.

Catherine Turnbull