A PLAN for a large wind turbine to be built on a farm in Lifton was given the thumbs down by borough planners recently.

The application was submitted by Murex Energy Ltd for the erection of a single wind turbine with a maximum blade tip height of 67 metres and the formation of a new vehicular access track and associated infrastructure on land at Ridgecombe Farm in the village.

The plan went before West Devon Borough councillors for consideration, who refused permission to carry out the development for a number of reasons.

The decision notice stated the proposed wind turbine would cause 'substantial harm to the setting of the Grade I Listed St Mary's Church (Lifton), the Grade II Listed Whitley, the Grade II Listed Ashleigh and Lifton Conservation Area'.

The notice also stated the turbine would have an 'adverse visual impact upon recreational users of the Two Castles Trail'; would, in association with existing and approved turbines throughout the Launceston and Devon/Cornwall border hinterland, cause a 'detrimental cumulative impact upon the visual amenity of the surrounding landscape'; would have an 'adverse visual impact' upon the setting and landscape quality of Lifton village and would result in 'adverse impacts' to nearby residential properties by way of 'visual intrusion' and 'overbearing impact'.