I READ with interest the article in last week's Times about the Iddesleigh village meeting to discuss the proposal to site a wind turbine within the parish.

Whilst I agree that we must make use of some renewable energy, the situation has now got out of hand.

In the first place there is no way that renewable energy is going to make up for the inevitable shortfall in conventional energy sources. Even if the country was covered in wind turbines they would not be a replacement. The taxpayer funding the Government's Feed in Tariff has led to a proliferation in companies jumping on the bandwagon.

In the case of single wind turbine applications the benefits can only go to the landowner and the wind farm installer. What little surplus electricity going to the National Grid does not specifically benefit the local area. Wind farm companies are now adopting panic measures whereby they are making financial incentives available to the immediate area as a sweetener.

If the current trend continues with planning per-missions granted on appeal, what hope is there for the beauty of the Devon countryside we all love?

Michael Puckey

Highampton