Wind turbines on prominent high ground are to be dismantled after a planning battle by residents.

Campaigners welcomed the news the four 45-metre high turbines at the Chelker Reservoir, between Addingham and Draughton, are to be taken down from the scenic spot where they have stood since the 1990s.

Utility company Kelda Group - of which Bradford-based Yorkshire Water is a subsidiary - says it will begin dismantling the turbines in the next fortnight.

The move came as Craven District Council was preparing an enforcement notice for removal of the turbines.

Residents recently strongly opposed two attempts by Kelda Water Services to gain planning permission for two much large turbines at the spot.

And campaigners called for the removal of the existing turbines, in line with planning consent, arguing they were seldom in use.

Long-serving member of Parishioners Against Chelker Turbines, Catherine Leigh, said: “We just tolerate them. It was new technology at the time and we thought that’s just what they’re going to do.

"Everybody around here knows, without a shadow of a doubt, for three quarters of the time they’ve been in existence, they have not been working.”

Kelda Group communications manager, Martyn Basierak, said: “Last year, we took the decision not to pursue an appeal against a planning application that was refused by Craven District Council for two new wind turbines to replace the existing four turbines at Chelker Reservoir.

“Further to this, we informed Craven District Council a number of months ago of our intention to remove the existing turbines and have been organising a suitable contractor to do this for us.”