Tesco wind turbine plan submitted

Wind turbine at Tesco in Newton Aycliffe, Durham

Wind turbines have already been built at other Tesco stores

Tesco has applied to erect two wind turbines standing more than 10m (33ft) tall, at a Flintshire supermarket.

The six kilowatt turbines would be placed in the car park of the Broughton Retail Park store, as part of Tesco's effort to reduce its carbon footprint.

The company said the turbines would produce enough energy to power four average houses and claimed they run "almost entirely silently".

Flintshire Council said the application had been put out to consultation.

Tesco spokesman Felix Gummer said the firm wanted to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% by 2020.

It has already won approval for similar schemes elsewhere.

He said the Ropatec turbines operated quietly, although noise was less of an issue at Broughton because it is not a residential area.

He said: "They use vertically-mounted blades and stand in the car park.

"The reason we use these systems rather than the three-finned wind turbines is they start working at much lower wind speeds, and work much better in swirling winds."

He said it was part of Tesco's solution to climate change, but the wind turbines were just one of "many other measures" being undertaken.

A council spokeswoman said no decision would be made before the consultation period ends on 30 May.