Councillors in Lewes are drawing up plans to install a wind turbine to power the town and surrounding area by 2007.

A wind farm is one of the options being discussed as a long-term solution to the Lewes district's energy needs.

Lewes MP Norman Baker, a staunch champion of green energy resources, revealed the plans during a debate in the Commons yesterday.

He said the council had already "gone some way down the track" with plans to erect a single turbine somewhere between Newhaven and Seaford, providing a source of renewable energy for thousands of homes and businesses.

Lewes District Council recently adopted a new energy policy setting itself a target that all its energy usage will be from renewable sources by 2007.

Head of environment and health Ian Kedge said possibilities include making further energy efficiency savings on council buildings, purchasing "green" energy from national suppliers, cutting overall energy usage, or using a wind farm.

He said: "We have opened very tentative preliminary discussions to see if it is feasible to do that in our district. We have identified possible locations but taken it no further than that. We are not making any planning application at this stage.

"We as a council have to do a bit of a balancing act. Lewes is very pro-environmental but we have to weigh up the costs and benefits. It (the turbine) would probably give the clearest political signal that we've gone for green but in its own way has certain problems because not everyone is convinced they want a wind turbine in their back gardens.

"We will need to make some sort of decision within the next 12 months."

Speaking in a Commons debate on wind farms Mr Baker argued more should be sited close to the communities they served, saying this would encourage residents living nearby to feel "ownership" of the structures, which have caused resentment in many areas where they are proposed.

Anticipating possible negative reaction in his own constituency Mr Baker said he did not understand complaints the turbines were an eyesore, saying: "The visual impact is a subjective issue. Some people think they look attractive, others find them horrendous.

"I find it difficult to understand how people can object to wind turbines when they are quite happy with pylons all over the country."

Any turbine would first need planning permission.

Sussex Downs Conservation Board, which was set up to protect the local environment, said it would be supportive of the general concept of a wind turbine but would want to look closely at its siting and potential impact on the landscape.