HAMPSHIRE campaigners are celebrating the decision by a wind company to drop plans for a wind farm.

TCI Renewables had proposed building six turbines of up to 130m for 25 years on farmland at Woodmancott Down, north of Winchester.

But planners at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council rejected the application last June saying it would harm the landscape.

Now TCI have decided against appealing the decision.

Leading campaigner Jonathan Moseley, of SOS (Save our Scenic) Hampshire Downs, said today: “We were very pleased to hear TCI were not going to launch an appeal.

“There were nine very strong reasons for refusal by the local planning authority and we feel that that strong enough reasons for them not to even consider re-evaluating the situation should the next Government provide a more conducive environment for wind farms.”

Mr Moseley was referring to the growing antipathy to wind farms from the present coalition government. After the General Election in May a new Government may take a different stance.

The TCI decision contrasts with that of EDF which is appealing against the rejection by three planning authorities of a 14-turbine wind farm at nearby Bullington Cross.

Oxford-based TCI was asked for a comment but had not replied by the time of going to press.