A COMPANY'S bid to erect a wind turbine at Denholme has been rejected by a Government inspector.

Rendering firm Omega Proteins Ltd had launched an appeal after Bradford Council refused permission for the Endurance X33 turbine at Erling Works in Half Acre Road.

But the Planning Inspectorate has thrown out the appeal, claiming benefits from the scheme would fail to outweigh its "detrimental" impact.

The Leo Group, of which Omega Proteins is part, said it is surprised at the ruling and will be considering its options.

A spokesman added: "We are disappointed with the decision, particularly as renewables are vital if the country is to meet stringent CO2 emission targets.

"We were also surprised at the decision considering the number of other turbines that have been granted planning permission recently.

"We will now be taking advice on what options are open to us in relation to the Planning Inspectorate's ruling."

Inspector Anne Jordan visited the site last October.

She said the turbine, the tower of which would be just more than 40 metres high, would "erode the openness" of the greenbelt.

And she added the proposal failed to adequately demonstrate the extent of engineering works needed to ensure the structure's stability.

Bradford Council had raised concerns about potential ground instability at the site, previously part of a quarry.

"These planning impacts were identified by the local community and have not been addressed," she said.

"Taken together, the totality of harm to the greenbelt and the visual impact of the proposal would not be clearly outweighed by the benefits of the scheme."