EAST Midlands Airport bosses say they hope to have four giant wind turbines built by the end of this year.

Planning permission was granted for the 45m high electricity-generating structures on the site near Castle Donington two years ago, but construction is yet to start.

An airport spokesman said there were still internal planning measures to be completed before the building phase of the project could begin.

She said: "We are still pressing ahead with the turbine plan. We do not have an actual date set for it but we hope it will be before the end of the year."

When they are built, the turbines will generate 900 kilowatt hours of electricity, without any emissions to pollute the environment.

That would cover about 10% of the airport's energy needs – equal to the amount needed to power 500 houses.

They are part of a wider plan to make the airport's ground operations carbon neutral.