PROTESTERS against plans for a £50million wind farm in Edenfield were celebrating last night after Rossendale Council voted unanimously against it.

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council and Lancashire County Council have already objected to the application by United Utilities and Peel Holdings for a 26-turbine farm on Scout Moor and it is likely that there will now be a public inquiry, although the decision rests with the Government.

A special meeting of Rossendale Council's development control committee was called to discuss the controversial proposals, which have been met with huge opposition from local residents.

Campaigners, which included a wildlife photographer and a representative from Rossendale Harriers, spoke out against the application, which many believe will destroy the moorland as an amenity for local people.

Dr Mike Lee, who will be living closest to the turbines if the wind farm is ever given the go-ahead, told councillors he was concerned about the noise that would be generated.

He said: "The developers have failed to make the case that we will not suffer in this way from noise nuisance. We come to this conclusion only after detailed study of the applicants' environmental study.

"The noise comes from the blades of the turbine - it is this repetitive thump that keeps people living near existing wind farms awake at night. People have described the noise as intolerable and excruciating. One person has described as being like an old boot in a tumble dryer."

Speaking after the ten members of the development control committee voted to object to the application, anti-wind farm campaigner, Ann Metcalfe, said: "I am thrilled to bits with the decision. I was optimistic that this would be the outcome but until people have voted you can never be certain.

"However, this is the easy stage, now we have to start preparing our evidence for the public inquiry."

Paul Hunt, Scout Moor wind farm project manager for United Utilities, said: "We have been expecting this decision and we are not surprised by it at all. We feel Rossendale Borough Council has missed an opportunity to seize the initiative and help make the county one of the greenest in the North West. Some people may be concerned about potential wind farm developments and the landscape but if we don't tackle climate change the impact on the environment could be devastating. We are confident that our plan stands up to scrutiny and we remain committed to green energy projects."