Community support for Wel Networks' proposed Te Uku wind farm appears high in the latest survey of Raglan district residents.

But opponents of the project say a closer look at the figures show support is actually plummeting.

Hamilton company Versus Research undertook a study last month on behalf of wind farm applicant Wel Networks, which showed 70 per cent support for the 28-turbine project. It also showed 15 per cent opposed the wind farm, and about 14 per cent neither supported nor opposed it. The study had a margin of error of plus or minus 6.37 per cent.

When the research was broken down into areas where participants lived, support in Te Uku was 50 per cent, with 23 per cent neutral and almost 28 per cent opposed.

Support in Te Mata was 60 per cent, with another seven per cent neutral and 33 per cent opposed.

Versus also conducted a survey when the project was first announced in early 2006, which recorded support at 80 per cent.

Company managing director Harriet Di Maio said for the project to have lost only 13 per cent support overall was interesting, given those opposed to the wind farm had been so vocal and had their views widely covered in the media.

And Wel Networks chief executive Julian Elder was encouraged by the results. "We were unsure whether our initial high levels of support for the project would be sustainable," Dr Elder said.

But wind farm opponent Rodger Gallagher saw it differently.

"Back in 2006, Versus found that four per cent of the people surveyed opposed the wind farm," he said.

"The new research shows that the number opposing the wind farm has grown to 20 per cent.

"That is a 400 per cent increase in those opposing the wind farm. And the number of undecided people has grown from nine per cent to 14 per cent.

"Although Wel are trying to put a positive spin on it, overall support for the wind farm has plummeted. Wel is shooting down a slippery slope.

"A very large body of people in Raglan now understand what the negative economic impact of the wind farm would be."

A Resource Management Act hearing into the wind farm has been adjourned, with commissioners still to give their decision.