RESIDENTS in Trawden have won their fight against a proposed wind turbine which would have towered over the village’s parish church.

More than 100 protests were lodged with Pendle Council over the proposals for a 48.6-metre-high wind turbine at Buttock Laithe Farm, Coal Pit Lane.

Several similar turbines have been approved on the fringes of Colne in recent months and another has only just been rejected on appeal at Jerusalem Farm The applicants, DC21 Ltd, had claimed the turbine, capable of generating 50 kilowatts of power, was only ‘small-scale’ and would provide ‘clean energy’.

Residents’ spokesman David Linley said that residents were not fundamentally against green energy’ but there were concerns over the sensitivity of the location.

He said: “The developer has said that it will benefit the community but they have not consulted anyone and that is what has driven our concerns.

“There are already eight turbines in the local area and the worry is that this approval would set a kind of precedent.”

Neighbour Neil Schofield added: “The physical size of the structure is detrimental and cannot be absorbed into the landscape.”

Owen Oliver, of campaign group Lidgett and Beyond, said that the scale of the turbine, compared to the parish church, was ‘frightening quite honestly’.

Recommending refusal of the plans, Coun Paul White said: “I am still absolutely convinced that these turbines bring very little economic benefit.”

Speaking before the application was rejected by the Colne area committee, Coun Tony Greaves said: “This one is in a ludicrous position and you can see it from almost anywhere.”