Plans by West Coast Energy to erect four wind turbines at Carsington Pastures have been described as an “unwelcome alien feature” by the Peak Park Planning Authority.

According to a Peak Park consultation report the proposed turbine towers would be intrusive, prominent features which would spoil the view.

The report said: “It is important to recognise that the moving blades of the wind farm will attract attention. Apart from periods of bad weather, the wind farm will be seen at a distance.

“It will spoil the relatively unbroken skyline which is a welcome landscape feature of the National Park.

“Conservation of both the park and its setting are particularly important for not only it is one of most visited National Parks in the world, but it is a beautiful rural counterpoint within which there is limited or no awareness of the nearby large conurbations.

“Although some views will be at a distance, it is considered that acceptance of the windfarm would introduce an unwelcome alien feature which would diminish the enjoyment of the area.”

Neil Exton, land and development manager for West Coast Energy, said: “We are obviously disappointed with the report and do not feel that it fully reflects the application.

“We take issue with certain points of the report that suggest we chose an obscure selection of viewpoints within the national park in order to conclude that the impact on the landscape would be minimal.

“The chosen viewpoints were agreed in a meeting with the Peak Park authority so they are equally to blame for that.”

The report concludes that the Peak Park Planning Authority recommends that Derbyshire Dales District Council refuses the application.

This is on the grounds it would cause unacceptable harm to National Park landscape and that acceptance would create a precedent for unnecessary wind farms around the National Park.

The final decision will be made at a district council planning meeting later this year.