£22m windfarm plan near to collapse

Controversial plans for a £22 million windfarm between Worthen and Minsterley are on the brink of collapse after plans for a test mast at the site were withdrawn, it was revealed today.

EDF Energy Renewables had submitted a planning application for a 230ft high test mast to measure the viability of the site as a windfarm.

The company says the planned eight 127ft high wind turbines on land at Aston Brook would create enough clean energy to power about 7,500 homes in the Shrewsbury area.

But the test mast proposals have now been withdrawn after two of the four landowners, including one which had given permission for the monitoring mast to be installed on their land, removed permission.

It follows a massive public outcry from the community with more than 200 angry residents lodging their opposition.

David Smith, from Worthen Hall Farm, and Aubrey Jones, of Aston Hall Farm, said they had decided against their land being used due to large-scale division within the community.

Campaigners today welcomed the news but vowed to keep up the battle to scupper the overall project, which they say would also lead to house prices falling.

A spokesman for EDF Energy Renewables said: "We have withdrawn our planning application for a wind monitoring mast for the Aston Brook wind farm.

"We are still reviewing the overall scheme.