THE Campaign for the Protection of Rural England this week raised concerns over the number of planning applications for wind turbines in West Devon.

There are currently four full applications in the West Devon district for turbines at Inwardleigh, Spreyton, Bondleigh and Hatherleigh, and three further screening applications at Exbourne, Jacobstowe and Northlew. There is a further application at appeal.

Penny Mills, chair of the CPRE Torridge group, said: 'The Torridge district has been absolutely inundated with proposals for both wind farms and large single turbines.  Now it seems developers are targeting West Devon. 

'The applications are all for giant structures, none of them can possibly be called small, domestic or farm scale. For example, 77 metres is the equivalent of a 26 storey building in height, so this size turbine will be seen for miles around.  

'The CPRE have not objected to all wind turbines, but it is all about the scale, site and West Devon as a whole. 

'There is a danger that our beautiful and peaceful unspoilt landscapes, loved and valued by residents and holidaymakers alike, will become dominated by wind turbines and it will become a wind farm landscape.  I can't believe that anybody wants that to happen.'

The concerns echo those of Geoffrey Cox MP, who has pledged to lodge a formal planning objection to every major commercial wind turbine application in his constituency.

A public meeting was due to be held in Folly Gate yesterday (Wednesday) to discuss the Inwardleigh turbine proposal at Waytown, about three kilometres south west of Inwardleigh.

Developers state the turbine, with a tip height of up to 78 metres, would have benefits for the community. With an installed capacity of up to 0.85 megawatts, the turbine could power around 475 homes, displacing in the region of 24,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions during its 25 year lifespan.

Residents of the parish can also invest between £250 and £20,000 in a community co-operative, which then purchases them a share in the turbine project. Capital is returned to investors at the end of the 25 year project, and profits from the production of electricity will be distributed to members through an annual dividend.

John Malone, development director at Energy4All, the team behind the turbine, said: 'We have been talking to people interested in the co-operative, sharing e-mails and there has been local support for the project. It is early days as the application has only recently gone in, but there is interest in the co-operative locally, and further afield across Devon.

'It takes a bit of time but as with our other co-operatives across the country, the support for it will build, I am sure. Many people have an interest in investing in green energy.'

The plans for the Waytown turbine will be on display in the Victory Hall in Northlew from 5pm to 7pm on Friday October 5. This will include photo montages of the turbine's potential visual impact on the area. All are welcome.