THE final stage of a multi-million pound wind farm on the western edge of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is set to begin next week when the remaining four turbines are delivered.

The £13m wind farm at Knabs Ridge, located south of the A59 Harrogate to Skipton road, is the first development of its kind in the district and the newest wind farm in North Yorkshire for 15 years.

Deliveries of the final wind turbines are set to begin on Monday, with construction of the wind farm expected to be complete by late summer.

In April the Nidderdale Herald reported that while half of the eight massive turbines were fully operational, the timeline for the other four was in doubt because of manufacturing delays in Europe.

Planners had originally hoped all eight of the 300ft turbines on the wind farm, around three miles south of Darley, Hampsthwaite and Birstwith, would be generating power by last December, but a series of problems delayed their full introduction, with the late summer timeframe now replacing the mid-May deadline given just two months ago.

Npower Renewables hopes the eight wind turbines, located in the 197-acre site outside the Nidderdale AONB and consisting of a 58m tower and 70m rotor diameter, should generate 16 megawatts of electricity – enough for around 5,400 homes.

Npower renewables' project manager for the Knabs Ridge wind farm, Tim Daldry, said: "These are the final four wind turbines to be delivered to the site, where the four other turbines are already in place and operational.

"Work to erect the turbines will begin week commencing June 30, weather permitting, and should be completed by mid-July.

"We will continue to liaise with local police and the county council’s highways department to ensure we minimise disruption to local people while the turbines are being transported to Knabs Ridge."

Harrogate Borough Council originally turned down the wind farm proposals, but a ten-day public inquiry concluded with the Government inspector overturning the council’s decision, saying the wind farm is in keeping with the Government’s policy on renewable energy.

Npower asked for permission to move two turbines so they don’t interfere with BT lines in October 2006, and construction work began a year later.