A CAMPAIGN group set up to oppose the building on a huge windfarm in the Yorkshire Dales is preparing for the next step in a legal battle that it thought it had already won – just in case.

The Friends of Craven Landscape believed they had won their case against plans by a German wind turbine manufacturer EnergieKontor when planning permission was refused planning permission for the windfarm Brightenber Hill, near Gargrave.

The company had previously said that, if local people objected to the plan, they would take the matter no further. But it has now been rumoured that an appeal will be launched against the Craven District Council ruling (see a Week in the Country, February 27.

To be prepared, the Friends have already spoken to legal counsel and are preparing their case should an enquiry be called.

A statement issued at the weekend declared:”So far, we have heard nothing concrete but we hope EK’s management will honour their promise not to continue with the development if local people do not want it. They made the promise during community briefings and repeated it to our Member of Parliament. For now, we’ll do the right thing and give them the benefit of the doubt.

“However, just in case, we have prepared much of the paperwork needed to fight an appeal and we have made initial contact with an eminent member of the legal profession. When (or if) EK lodges an appeal, they will find us waiting in the starting blocks.”