Elizabeth Bennett, of South Pool, Kingsbridge, writes:

The refusal by the secretary of state for communities and local government Sajid Javid MP of the planning application for a wind turbine at Winslade Farm is the result of a three and a half-year battle by the Friends of South Hams.

Backed by many in the local community, the Friends felt strongly that this large turbine, at the head of Frogmore Creek would dominate a large area in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and would ­certainly not comply with the AONB management plan, the South Hams core strategy or the development plan.

When publishing his ­decision, Mr Javid agreed with the Friends, as well as the many other local objectors, by stating that the application was also contrary to the planning guidance contained in the National Planning Policy Framework; and most importantly he highlighted Section 85(1) of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which states that ‘a relevant authority shall have regard to the purpose of ­conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the AONB’.

The nub of the Mr Javid’s conclusions, which South Hams Council’s development management committee – ­previously known as the planning committee – therefore has to take on board is: the law states that developments in the AONB have to ‘conserve and enhance’ the AONB; turbines are therefore not acceptable; nor, to my mind, are housing estates, potato factories, or anything else that does not add to the ‘natural beauty’ of the area.

The vast majority of jobs in this area are reliant on the 60 per cent of the South Hams economy that results from tourism/ retirement, with farming forming only two per cent of the economy. Cllr John Tucker, a dairy farmer and Leader of South Hams Council, when commenting on the Mr Javid’s decision, said that dairy farmers had to be helped. I think that most of us could agree with that, except when the consequence of this policy is that the elected members of the planning committee do not fulfil their legal obligation to ‘conserve and enhance’ the AONB, resulting in a cost to us, the taxpayers of the South Hams, of £200,000-plus.

Mr Javid only ‘calls in’ a maximum of six or seven ­decisions per year. This inquiry, therefore, reflects the importance he places on the preservation of the South Devon AONB. No doubt he, as well as us, will be keeping a very close eye on the district council’s development management committee from now on.