PLANS for a 46 metre wind turbine near Petrockstowe have been refused by Torridge District Council.

The council refused planning permission for the turbine at Crosspark Farm, to the south of Petrockstowe, on the grounds that the turbine 'by reason of its scale and location near the top of a hill, would result in significant adverse impacts on the character and appearance of the surrounding landscape', by virtue of introducing 'a significant vertical element into the landscape and adversely impacting on long views across the landscape and of Dartmoor'.

Planners also stated that 'insufficient information has been submitted to clearly demonstrate that the proposed wind turbine development would not lead to harm to highly significant heritage assets within the surrounding area'.

The turbine, with a hub height of 36.6 metres, would have been able to generate 188,741kWh, electricity equivalent of up to 42 average households, based on an average wind speed of six miles per hour.

The electricity produced would have offset around 84 tonnes of CO2 per year.

The power from the proposed turbine would directly supply the applicant's on site demand and would have been connected to the national grid, so any surplus power could be exported.

Solar PV arrays were initially considered by the applicant, but to provide a significant return large sections of the farm's land would have to have been taken up by panels.

While Petrockstowe Parish Council raised no objections to the application, Sheepwash Parish Council objected to the proposal 'for economic reasons which would have a direct impact on the village and most importantly to the surrounding area of Ruby Country'.

Buckland Filleigh Parish Council was also unanimous in its objection to the application.

West Devon Borough Council raised concerns of a 'cumulative impact' the turbine may have when viewed in context of the operational turbine at Keyetheren Farm.

To find out more about the application, visit the Torridge planning website, quoting 1/0938/2013/FUL.