WEST Fife communities could soon be surrounded by wind farms blighting the landscape says a senior councillor.

Fife Labour leader Alex Rowley is calling for a community-led discussion and examination of appropriate locations for wind turbines.

He is proposing that no more applications for wind turbines be approved until such time as a strategic framework for windfarm applications is in place.

Mr Rowley is concerned that his home village Kelty could be "surrounded" by windfarm developments and the countryside "blighted" by the turbines.

He also highlighted plans for a large windfarm next to the M90 which is being opposed by Kingseat Community Council.

Mr Rowley said, "I am worried that we seem to be operating on a first-come, first-approved basis with little thought to what is acceptable for local communities.

"In my own home village we are surrounded by proposals and applications to erect these large structures and I think we have to stop and think about whether or not we want to be surrounded by such large industrial structures or if there is a better way.

"I am not against such industrial structures for the sake of it - and I accept that we will have such structures to achieve a mixed approach to sourcing energy - but we seem to be verging on the ad hoc approach with little regard for people and communities.

"This is why we need the debate and one that is informed with information such as how many of these turbines are we likely to accept within Fife and then where is it best for them to be located to achieve minimal disruption to people, places, and communities.

"I am old enough to remember the legacy of the mines on our local landscape and we are proud of the work of the councillors of that time in getting the areas reinstated into beautiful countryside.

"I do not want a 21st century version of pit bings blighting the landscape.

"We, the people of Fife, must be in charge of what is acceptable and where is acceptable for these industrial structures to be sited.

"This must not be dictated by where the profiteers want to put them." Councillor Rowley has written to Fife Council's head of development services and the head of planning asking for a meeting to discuss these issues and his proposal for a moratorium on all current and future applications until such time as a strategic framework for wind farms has been put in place.