AN APPLICATION for nine wind turbines in the Winterborne valley has been thrown out in the face of overwhelming opposition from residents, councillors and officers.

Global terrorism as well as global warming were used as arguments in the wind farm debate, which packed out the Blandford School hall on Tuesday (October 26).

Two members of the planning committee were unmoved by protesters' pleas as they contemplated a future where a switch thrown in the Ukraine could mean power cuts in Dorset.

Consultant Mark Wood said North Dorset District Council should reject the application because it would ruin conservation areas and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and also that the turbines could interfere with radar at Portland.

Your Energy director Charles Sandham said wind energy was necessary because the climate was changing.

But parish councillor Alan Reed said that, because of their height, the turbines would be "devastating" and bring "wholesale disruption and industrialisation... to a tranquil and unspoilt corner of Dorset".

Winterborne Zelston resident Bob Yorke said Your Energy had lost £278,000 last year and was owned by offshore companies in the Caribbean and Monaco. He cast doubt on its ability to deliver the project or decommission it at the end of its life.

Cllr Sheila Chapman supported the application, saying the turbines were "extremely elegant". She said we did not want to get into the situation of having no light "because some one's turned the light on in the Ukraine".

Cllr Andrew Pemberton also thought wind power was necessary but members voted to throw out the application, which is now expected to go to appeal.

First published: October 27