Shropshire residents are up in arms over fears their identities may have been stolen in a bid to influence consultation over controversial wind farm plans.Council chiefs have now launched an investigation after they received complaints from people who say that they were thanked for taking part in consultation over Nuon Renewables’ plans, despite not having done so.

North Shropshire District Council spokeswoman Rian Huxley today said a number of concerns had been raised and the matter was being taken “very, very seriously”.

The consultation in plans to site seven wind masts in Norton-in-Hales, launched by the council, ended last week, with more than 1,200 people making representations.

One woman, who asked not to be named, said she received a letter from the council’s planning department stating she had made an objection.

“They do have my address on it, my identity is on this letter,” she said. “However, I have no interest whatsoever in this planning application.

“I don’t know anything about it. What enrages me is someone is using my identity to object to this.

“Obviously people are making false objections in the name of other people.

“There were 1,200 objections. What percentage of these are real objections?”

Terry May, co-ordinator of Veto on Rural Turbine Expansion (Vortex) windfarm action group in north Shropshire, which is battling the plans, said: “This has happened with other groups in other parts of the country as well, where people have tried to affect the consultation.

“I can’t understand why anyone would do it and we can only presume someone is trying to abuse the system. It is a shame.”

Mrs Huxley today said: “We have received a small number of inquiries regarding this issue of which we are investigating this. It’s something we are taking seriously and we want to make sure all the representations we receive are indeed genuine.”

Anyone with concerns can contact the council’s development control team on (01939) 232771.

By Deborah Collins