Last night, Dundee City Council’s development quality committee approved the tyre factory’s application to build the wind turbines, which will now become the first substantial wind farm in an urban environment not only in the UK but also in Europe.

Michelin said the low-cost renewable energy source would increase the economic competitiveness of the factory in addition to cutting thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions.

The MoD objected, saying the turbines had the potential to interfere with radar at the UK’s most northerly frontline fighter base at RAF Leuchars, although Michelin suggested that a transponder attached to the turbines could provide a confirmed source for the base.

However, the possibility of distorted TV reception was one of the objections made to the committee by residents in the area, and which were confirmed by NTL Broadcast today.

A spokesman for the company said that if the turbines were in the line of sight between the viewers and the transmitter there could be severe disruption. Taking a direct line from the Tealing transmitter to the Ferry appears on paper at least to run right through the proposed turbine location.

“Wind turbines are becoming more and more of an issue because if you have large, metal structures which are moving, then pictures can be severely distorted.”

“If they are not in the line of sight then it is possible there is a lesser chance of them being affected. But if some aerials point straight through then there is every chance they will be affected, although not having been aware of the potential problem that is as far as we can comment at the moment.”

He said that digital signals were more robust than analogue signals, which could experience ghosting or smearing if the signal was deflected by the turbines, but there would be serious effects if the turbines stood in the direct line of the transmitter signal.

He said NTL could do nothing about the situation unless they were invited to do so either by the planning authority or the TV regulator.

“We act in a landlord/tenant role which means we provide a transmitter to a proper standard. The planning authority, if there is a difficulty, could insist on the developer not removing reception.

“That could mean inviting us to come in and do research work and reports on the problems, and telling them what the effects and remedies might be.”

One of the problems, he said, was that no-one was building analogue transmitters any more while a debate continued on the introduction of digital masts.

There were various solutions which included viewers switching to satellite or cable, but that could involve costs to the viewer. Normally, he said, there would be a clause included in the planning permission committing the developer to picking up the costs of restoring satisfactory reception.

A spokesman for the city council said that one of the conditions of approval was that Michelin submitted a study of what the impact on TV reception would be before the turbines were built.

Committee convener Rod Wallace, whose own ward in Balgillo may lie directly in line with the turbines and transmitter, and who moved approval of the application, said today he was aware of the possibility of reception problems.

“I have been approached by constituents in Balgillo who have these concerns but our planning officers have put the onus on Michelin to come forward with a protocol that satisfies these concerns before the turbines are built.

“Michelin has serious conditions to address and I am content that nothing will happen until the planning department is fully satisfied all of the conditions of the consent are met and sorted out.”

Dundee-based Green MSP Shiona Baird has welcomed the decision of the council, praising Michelin for commitment to renewable energy and, while she conceded concerns had been raised about aspects of the technology, said it would bring positive benefits to the city.