Hundreds of Yorkshire Dales residents in the Gargrave area were celebrating today over the decision by a Government planning inspector to reject plans for a major windfarm which would have dominated the scenery for some 40 miles around.

The inspector, Mr John Braithwaite, turned down the appeal by a German energy company to erect five wind turbines higher than Big Ben on Brightember Hill, a beauty spot on the borders of the Yorkshire Dales and the Forest of Bowland, one of Lancashire’s areas of outstanding natural beauty.

The decision comes as a welcome relief to protesters, led by the Friends of the Craven Landscape, because it was feared that the Government would force the application through in the few remaining weeks before a general election.

Backing up his judgement to reject the appeal, Mr Braithwaite reported: “The main issues are the effect of the five wind turbine generators on; first, the character of the landscape; second, the settings of nearby heritage assets; and third, residential amenity at Ash Tree Farm and other properties.”

The turbines, had they been built, would have been visible from some of the outstanding beauty spots of the Yorkshire Dales National Park like Malham Cove, the Three Peaks Walk and, in Lancashire, Pendle Hill, home to the notorious Pendle Witches.

The plan was opposed by the national park authority, Craven District Council, and scores of local residents who feared high noise levels which have been proved, in studies elsewhere, to cause sleepless nights or, in some cases, serious long term illness.