PARTS of the district are becoming "saturated" with wind turbines, councillors were told.

Bradford Area Planning Panel today refused permission for a 36-metre high turbine on Soil Hill, off Brighouse and Denholme Road, and one of the reasons councillors gave was a new Government policy.

Communities and Local Government Secretary Greg Clark stated in June that wind turbines should be refused planning permission by local authorities unless they have the support of local communities.

The Soil Hill turbine application had received a dozen letters of objection, as well as 17 of support.

At today's meeting at City Hall, members were recommended to refuse the application by planning officers who said the number of turbines installed in the area in recent years had changed the character of the landscape and made it look like a "poorly conceived wind farm".

A similar application for a turbine on the site was refused last year, and the applicants Home Energy Efficiency has since appealed that decision to the Planning Inspectorate.

Planning officer Mark Hutchinson told members he had visited the area and said: "When I went to the site I counted 17 turbines of different sizes and different types.

"It is clear the landscape has been affected by urbanising elements, and may well have reached capacity for this type of development."

Councillor Richard Dunbar (Lab, Thornton) spoke against the application, saying: "The exiting turbines are making the area saturated. A lot of people think the area is becoming a wind farm by stealth.

"This will affect people's living conditions and one resident has told me she will leave the area if the turbine is approved."

The panel was told residents suffered from shadow flicker created by the turbines as well as noise.

Stephen Houlden, of nearby Bar Farm, said: "The applicant has offered residents blinds to help with the shadow flicker, but you'd need blackout curtains to stop it.

"The noise of living near so many turbines is like having a cement mixer on your driveway 24/7. It is a constant droning noise."

Stuart Robertshaw, representing the applicant, said similar turbines in the area had been approved recently, and pointed out that two of the turbines in that area were in the Bradford district but four were in Halifax.

Mr Hutchinson replied: "Whether they are in Halifax or Bradford is immaterial, if you look at the landscape you still see them."

The panel refused the application because it went against the new Government guidelines, because of the impact on the green belt and that the proposed turbine would increase shadow flicker and noise.