Which would you prefer, wind or gas?

On the face of it, the options sound more like a hypothetical Hobson’s choice – but choosing whether to have a wind turbine or gas well next to your house could become an increasingly real dilemma in some areas.

And despite vociferous opposition to turbines across the region, a nationwide survey shows that more than two-thirds of people would rather have a wind turbine near their house than a shale gas well.

Asked to choose between having a turbine put up or a well drilled to extract unconventional shale gas within two miles of their home, 67 per cent opted for the renewable energy source and just 11 per cent favoured the gas development.

The topic is likely to be hotly debated in Keynsham after UK Methane lodged a planning application to drill a borehole on land near the Hick's Gate roundabout, to see whether extracting methane gas was viable.

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Campaigners say the move could damage the environment and that more eco-friendly energy solutions should be considered instead.

The drilling would take place on land between Durley Hill and the Keynsham bypass to the south east of the roundabout.

Bath MP Don Foster and B&NES Council fear work to extract coal bed methane and shale gas could disturb Bath's hot springs.

Gerwyn Williams, from UK Methane, has argued that coal bed methane was an important energy option and has said Bath's hot springs would not be affected by drilling.

The ICM poll of 2,027 people also found that more of those questioned would support wind power near their home than oppose it, with 49 per cent saying they would be likely to back turbines within two miles and 22 per cent likely to be against them.

Young people were more likely to support a wind turbine nearby, with 64 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds in favour.

A majority of people in all age groups supported community-owned renewables.

Renewable energy topped the poll of people’s most preferred electricity source, with solar the most popular, followed by hydropower and offshore wind.

Only a small number of those quizzed (4 per cent) said onshore wind was their most preferred electricity source, but it was favoured above coal and shale gas. The survey comes amid strong opposition within the Conservative Party to onshore wind, and growing support for shale gas development.

Co-operative, which commissioned the survey, is also warning about the impact of exploiting a new fossil fuel source on efforts to cut carbon emissions to tackle climate change.