by Chris Hunter

A controversial plan to build a wind turbine has been ditched by farm owners.

Despite being granted permission to erect a 110ft mast at Castle Farm in East Farleigh last month, farmer Peter Checkley has annouced the turbine plan is to be dropped.

"We are very disappointed to announce that the wind turbine scheme at Castle Farm cannot now proceed due to a number of legal covenants on the farm that have recently come to light," he wrote to the Kent Messenger.

"As a result we have been forced to instruct Distributed Generation Ltd to drop all further development work on the project."

For Mr Checkley, the news not only heralds the demise of his "zero carbon fruit farming" dream but threatens the future of the farm itself.

He says the news is a loss for East Farleigh, as it would have benefited from an annual windfall payment from the scheme and been transformed into a paragon for future "eco villages".

But the news won't be received universally with dismay.

Objections from East Farleigh Parish Council and a concerted anti-turbine campaign by villagers had raised fears over the visual impact of the mast and its affect on the health of neighbours.

What do you think? Email Chris Hunterchunter@thekmgroup.co.uk or leave your comments below.