THE scale of eight 300ft turbines on a planned wind farm would make it impossible to hide or mitigate their impact on the landscape, according to a council planning chief.

In evidence submitted to a public inquiry, Neville Watson, who deals with major planning developments for Harrogate Borough Council, said the impact would be particularly evident from the north within the nearby Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Npower Renewables, previously National Wind Power, wants to create the wind farm at Knabs Ridge, three miles from Harrogate and alongside the A59 Harrogate-Skipton Road, near the Menwith Hill American listening base.

A borough council planning committee had earlier refused an application, on officers' advice, and the power company is appealing for a Government inspector to overturn this.

Mr Watson referred to the "strong vertical emphasis of the turbines".

They would be seen, he contended, against the skyline as features alien to the intimate and enclosed small area of Lower Nidderdale Valley.

He said there would be an adverse impact on 22 homes.

"It could be argued that it is in the greater public interest to build a windfarm on this site, for its contribution to renewable energy," said Mr Watston.

"But the harmful impact of the turbines upon residential properties, both individually and cumulatively, weighs heavily against the wind farm."

David Hardy, representing Npower Renewables, said the borough council's response to the "pressing requirement" for renewable energy lacked a sense of purpose.

He said: "This is a local planning authority which has belatedly recognised that it should be responding positively to the call from central government for generation, but its elected members appear unable - or unwilling - to grant planning permission for development which would deliver it."

The inquiry continues.