Yorkshire Water’s plans to replace wind turbines at Chelker Reservoir could be decided in February.

The scheme, for two 125m (410ft) turbines, is likely to go before Craven District Council’s planning committee either at its regular meeting on February 9, or at a special meeting.

Draughton Parish Council, which has objected, has been encouraged by the council’s decision to throw out plans for turbines at Brightenber Hill, near Gargrave. Parish councillor, David Jones, said many residents had been delighted.

“However much you believe in renewable energy, you can’t simply plonk great big industrial machinery all over any available countryside, regardless of the interests of anyone living nearby,” he said.

And the parish council believes the reasons to refuse the Chelker plan are even stronger.

“Not only are the turbines larger than the ones proposed for Brightenber, but there are also people living even closer to the site,” he said.

“After the Brightenber outcome, I am encouraged to think planning committee members will take a similar decision for Chelker and protect both our local landscape and the residents.”

In the light of a new consultation because of the re-siting of one of the proposed turbines, the parish council has re-stated its objections in a letter to the council. In it, parish council chairman Meriel Curtis said the site was too small and too constrained for the turbines.

“The machines would be far too close to peoples’ houses. The applicant can’t alter this fact, no matter how many times the application is referred back to them to put right their mistakes in the setting of the turbines, the collection of noise data or in the choice of photo viewpoints,” she said.

The council’s objections also include the visual impact of the turbines and their close proximity to public rights of way.