PROTESTERS have organised a last-minute council of war before their showdown with an energy company over a windfarm near Denshaw.

Campaigners from Saddleworth Moors Action Group (SMAG) are trying to stop E.On UK from siting seven 365ft-high wind turbines on the Denshaw and Castleshaw Moors, between Huddersfield and Oldham.

Oldham Council's planning committee is set to hold a meeting to decide the application at 6pm on February 23.

At the meeting in Oldham Council Chamber, one person will have three minutes to speak on behalf of the 3,000 SMAG objectors.

SMAG has nominated Geoffrey Sinclair - a consultant for the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales - to speak for them.

He has acted in 41 applications - and in 21 of these, the objectors won.

SMAG members will hold a final gathering on February 17, to decide what they want Mr Sinclair to say on their behalf.

This meeting will be at 7.15pm at the Methodist Church Hall on Gartside Street in Delph.

People living in Denshaw and Delph are concerned that the windfarm would ruin scenery and affect the habitat of rare birds found in the area, which is close to the Pennine Way and moorland designated as a European Area of Special Conservation.

However, E.On UK project developer Bob Whitely said an environmental impact study had shown that the plans would have no impact on wildlife or residents.

He added that some people were supporting the scheme.

At an E.On UK information day at Oldham Shopping Centre on January 21, 150 were quizzed on what they thought about the plans.

Mr Whitely said 60% were in favour of the windfarm.

He said: "We were pleased with the positive response that we received.

"We believe that this is a great site for a wind farm and, if approved, it could prevent the emission of over 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year."

He claimed the windfarm would generate enough clean, renewable energy to power about 6,200 homes.

The Oldham information day came after an earlier consultation with the Denshaw community.

This consultation resulted in E.On UK reducing the number of turbines proposed from nine to seven.

Mr Whitely added that Oldham Council had already identified the Denshaw area as suitable for wind farm development."

E.On UK bought the windfarm project in 2005 from United Utilities, who had initially applied for planning permission in 2003.