Plans have been unveiled to double the height of wind turbines on the moors above Oxenhope.

E-on has revealed it aims to replace the existing 23 turbines measuring 50 metres in height on Ovenden Moor with 10 turbines twice the height.

Stuart Whiting, the E-on project developer, outlined the plans at a meeting last Thursday of Oxenhope Parish Council.

He said the existing turbines were coming to the end of their 20-year life span.

He added that in the next two to three years, E-on intended replacing them with the new turbines which would double the output of the entire wind farm.

A planning application for the changes is due to be submitted in September.

Mr Whiting showed council members computer-generated images of what the higher turbines would look like from various points in the Worth Valley.

Councillors David Ashcroft and council chairman Neal Cameron said the images did not portray the full impact the turbines would have on their parish.

They pointed out none of the images specifically showed what the view would look like from Oxenhope if taller turbines were installed.

Cllr Jeremy Mackrell said the turbines would be less obtrusive if sited further down the slope. Cllr Tony Maw said it was a shame that such structures always seemed to be located in scenic wilderness.

Mr Whiting said the option of positioning the turbines further down the slope was limited by the presence of nearby homes, footpaths and a bird sanctuary.

He said energy companies wanting to build more turbines were not singling out beauty spots.

He said the Government was setting demanding targets for increasing the amount of renewable energy, so firms such as his had to explore many different ways of meeting these requirements.

Cllr Reg Hindley said he understood it was not easy to balance economic considerations with the need to protect environmental heritage.

Cllr Cameron warned the nature of the terrain meant the taller turbines would be more visible to people living in the Worth Valley than to people in Calderdale.