A WIND turbine higher than York Minster could be built on land near the city.

Plans to build the turbine at Murton Moor were submitted to City of York Council in December by Origin Energy, a company which promotes renewable energy and puts proceeds from energy sales back into the local community.

A report submitted with the plans said the turbine – which would be 61.5m high, but has 38m blades – could create enough energy to power 1,200 homes, and could bring £130,000 a year to the local community.

It said: “Origin hopes that in this way, communities can engage with their local environment and prosper thereby.”

However, Holtby resident Clare Hartley, of Holtby Grange Lane, has already objected to the plans on the council’s website, claiming it would “devastate” the local area.

She said: “The council has never and should never approve an application for a turbine of this magnitude. Putting this in context this is almost the same size as Big Ben (90m).

"At 80m high this will dwarf the local skyline and have a larger visual impact than the York Minster. Is this really what we want visitors to our community to associate with our beautiful, historic city?

“A turbine of this magnitude, indeed anything over 15m, is only really suitable for remote areas or off shore. This will quite simply cripple the local community.

“It is likely to have a significant impact on local house prices. Any blight caused in this regard should be seriously considered.”

The report said developers “anticipate that the owners of Leeds-Bradford airport may object to the proposal”, and RAF Linton-on-Ouse had also been approached but had not yet commented. Surveys of bats and birds would also be required ahead of any development.