Noise-monitoring equipment will be set up at 12 sites around a controversial wind farm, to address residents' concerns.

North Devon Council has received more than 20 complaints from residents living around Fullabrook wind farm, between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe. It is operational, but noise monitoring cannot be carried out until the wind farm is officially commissioned. That was supposed to happen in October, but has been repeatedly delayed.

Now, Electricity Supply Board, the company behind Fullabrook, has agreed to North Devon Council's request for 12 monitoring sites, instead of the five specified in planning conditions – but it will mean further delays. Official commissioning has been expected at the end of January, but may now not happen until at least February 20.

An ESB spokesman said: "We want the monitoring to be as full and robust as possible, and are therefore happy to increase the number of sites where monitoring will take place." But he said the additional equipment needed would not be available until the end of February, so the timetable would be delayed again. "Clearly the changes to the timetable are out of our hands and we trust local people will understand."

Council leader Brian Greenslade said the move was a "very positive step", which would enable a "thorough and robust" noise assessment.

The council has set up a new blog to inform residents at www.ndcfullabrook.wordpress.com.