INSPECTORS have rejected an appeal for a 77-metre wind turbine to be built in the Okement Valley near Winkleigh.

The proposed turbine at Bryony Hill Farm would have had a 50-metre hub height and a 27-metre rotor radius. The parish councils of Iddesleigh, Broadwoodkelly and Winkleigh all strongly objected to the proposal and the plans were rejected by Torridge District Council in March 2014. The appeal has stuck with the council's original decision.

In her appeal decision notice, inspector Sukie Tamplin said that the landscape's 'timeless qualities are enjoyed and promoted both in their own right and also to encourage tourism'.

She said: 'In my view significant and adverse impacts would ensue from the siting of the proposed turbine and this harm to the landscape could not be mitigated because of the sheer scale of the proposal in this intimate setting.

'The inherent movement would attract the eye and, as is confirmed by the Zone of Theoretical Visibility analysis, the turning turbine would be widely visible and in many of those views would interrupt the skyline which is acknowledged to be a particular sensitive feature of the landscape.

'This would be in an area where only smaller turbines have been permitted previously.'

The proposed turbine would have generated approximately 1,516 MWh per year, equivalent to the average energy consumption of 324 homes in the Torridge area. The turbine would offset 675 tonnes of CO2 a year, 16,875 tonnes over its lifetime.

Penny Mills from the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England said: 'This wind turbine in the beautiful "War Horse Valley" quite clearly did not have the support of the majority of local people, as the overwhelming majority objected to it. 

'CPRE Devon is delighted with the decision as are the local community.

'This proposal has been like a dark cloud hanging over the area for a very long time — it's two years since the screening opinion was first submitted, so this decision is a great relief.'

A campaign group called The Protection of Rural Devon Group was set up in opposition to the development of turbines in the area. Over the last 18 months there have been numerous applications for turbines in the Okement Valley. The valley is the rural setting for Michael Morpurgo's smash hit novel War Horse.

English Heritage has also expressed its desire to see the application refused, harbouring concerns that the turbine would affect a number of medieval churches in the area.

Within five kilometres of the application site there are four Grade I and one Grade II* Listed churches, as well as four Grade II* Listed houses and seven scheduled ancient monuments.

The churches were mentioned as needing protection in the inspector's decision notice.