RESIDENTS of the parish of Morwenstow in are preparing for another battle over wind turbines after it was learned the developers have applied to build even higher structures than approved by the Planning Inspector.

In March, the Inspector rejected local opposition and granted permission to build three turbines. These were to be a maximum tower height of 50m with blades of 31m. He also laid down specific rating levels for noise.

Crimp Wind Power has now applied to North Cornwall District Council to make the towers either 60m or 56m high.

A spokesman for Morwenstow Against Turbines (MAT) stated: "It was bad enough when the Inspector over-ruled the views of the parish council, the district council and the county council and more than 800 letters of objection, but now it seems the developers aren't satisfied with that, they want even more. Either that or they got their sums wrong."

A resident of Morwenstow pointed out that the new applications came without any justification and, if approved, would result in the turbines being more visible, potentially even noisier and a continuing threat to protected species of wild life, particularly birds and bats.

MAT is preparing its challenge to the application by seeking legal advice as to whether an Inspector's decision can be varied.

The spokesman added: "If this is approved then it creates a precedent for every developer who has been given permission to build a wind farm, to come back later and say he wants bigger and more turbines despite any conditions that may have been imposed."