It is expected that Fife Council officials will recommend approval of the long-running application by EnergieKontor to build a five-turbine farm at Gathercauld.

Members of Ceres and District Environment and Amenity Protection Group (CADEAP) want councillors on the north east Fife area committee to disregard that advice when they consider the application on June 17.

The proposal to build the windfarm was lodged nearly three years ago and since then EnergieKontor has been involved in various wrangles with interested parties, including the Ministry of Defence which was concerned about the impact the masts would have on radar equipment at RAF Leuchars.

Since then, a compromise has been reached with the original number of masts being reduced from 12 to five and the height of them cut to below 80 metres.

CADEAP spokesman Graham Lang said: "For some time we have been pointing out to Fife Council similar applications in Scotland where appeals have been dismissed by reporters, not least the Rossie Farm application by the same developer at Auchtermuchty.

"If they recommend approval of the Gathercauld application then they clearly haven't got the message."

"The committee is very conscious of the views of the communities they serve and the over-riding feeling that we do not want this windfarm wrecking what is an area of great landscape value and a special landscape area and one which will disturb nearby residents with new and unwelcome noise," he said

Mr Lang said that view was shared by the National Trust for Scotland and the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland, as well as the four neighbouring community councils.

Should councillors reject the application, and EnergieKontor subsequently appeal that decision to the Scottish Government, CADEAP have said they already have the financial resources, as well as legal and landscape experts on hand to continue the battle.

"One of EnergieKontor's earliest threats was to make it perfectly clear that if they failed to get planning consent at local level they would appeal," Mr Lang went on.

"We have had this possibility in mind from the very start and are psychologically and financially prepared.

"We have taken advice from time to time from John Campbell QC who said in such an eventuality he would represent us, as well as Nigel Buchan, a landscape architect formerly with SNH, and acoustic consultant Dick Bowdler.

"The application is contrary to policy in every important respect and contrary to ministers' national guidance.

"We have made a strong objection on planning grounds supported by other submissions and material, all of which would form evidence at any inquiry."

Mr Lang said that while he was in no doubt the committee would be warned about the expense of yet another public local inquiry, they should put that to one side if they find the proposal to be unacceptable.

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP, Ted Brocklebank, said: "The development would have a substantial impact on the character of the landscape and would undoubtedly become an overbearing and defining feature of the area."