WIND farms can be “incredibly popular”, a Liberal Democrat Cabinet minister has argued.

Ed Davey, the Energy Secretary, vowed his party would continue to back onshore farms as part of a “dramatic increase” in renewable energy investment.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Mr Davey said opinion polls consistently showed around 65 per cent of people in favour of onshore wind, with opposition “in the single figures”.

He said: “Onshore wind is currently the cheapest, large-scale renewable energy, so if you don’t invest in that, you are going to have to invest in other, not so cheap renewable energy.”

Wind farms have provoked controversy in Hampshire, as elsewhere, including a proposal for one near Bullington Cross, north of Winchester. EDF Energy Renewables is appealing against the refusal of planning permission for its application for 14 turbines on farmland to the north of the A303.

The Conservatives have pledged an effective moratorium on new onshore wind farms will be in place within six months of victory in May’s general election.

The party’s manifesto will also pledge to scrap the subsidies paid by bill-payers change the planning system to allow local councils to block any further onshore farms.

Mr Davey argued the Coalition had introduced protections for local people, with compulsory “pre-consultation”

by developers and larger “community benefits”.

He said: “There is no free pass for onshore wind, nor should there be.

However, onshore wind can, and does, play an important role in a green, secure energy strategy.”