PROTESTERS trying to save their village from an invasion of wind turbines have lost the first stage of the battle.

Permission for a 70 metre wind monitoring mast near Stinchcombe was granted on appeal last week and could open the way to a wind farm in little over a year.

It means that Ecotricity, the green energy supplier that hopes to build eight 120 metre wind turbines next to the M5, can erect the mast to carry out an in-depth survey of wind speeds on the site for business planning purposes.

The application was turned down by the development control committee at Stroud District Council on the grounds that it would not be in keeping with the surrounding area.

However David Leeming, from the planning inspectorate, decided this was not the case and that it would in fact look insignificant against the backdrop of hills beyond the River Severn.

He said although it was tall, it would be slender and that its visual impact on the rural landscape would be "limited".

In his report Mr Leeming said: "I acknowledge concerns raised by interested third parties, including Save Berkeley Vale, that the mast would be visible from a number of residential properties, particularly in Standle Lane and in Echo Lane, the latter being on the edge of Stinchcombe village, which is a conservation area.

"However, given that the nearest property is some 400 metres from site and that those in the conservation area are some 700 metres away, I consider that the mast, as a temporary feature, would not unacceptably intrude into the outlook from these properties or harm the setting of the conservation area."

Andy Cheshire, on behalf of the campaign group Save Berkeley Vale, said: "People here are very disappointed, not just with the decision but also the way the decision was made.

"The appeal was done by written representations and we felt that it should have been done through an informal public hearing. They have not heard what we have got to say and we are not pleased about that.

"Our view is that the mast will have a significant effect on the view, the inspector's view is obviously different and we shall have to wait and see.

"However if an application is put in for wind turbines we will fight it all the way, we will fight it vigorously."

Dale Vince, owner of Ecotricity, said: "This is basically a victory for common sense. The council planning committee had no valid grounds to refuse the application for a temporary wind mast, as their own officers told them and as the inspector has now confirmed.

"This was a waste of taxpayers' time and money while our energy insecurity and climate change march inexorably onwards.

"Our wind farm application is the next stage, and 25 per cent of Stroud homes could be powered by local wind energy in a little over a year from now if the planning committee is open-minded and forward-thinking."