A farmer has said that building a wind turbine on his land would secure his family's livelihood for the future.

Keith Wotton said he and his wife Shirley believed they had taken the right decision to allow a 45m (148ft) turbine to be put up at Downton Park Farm, near Dittisham.

And despite strong local opposition to the idea, he hoped a formal planning application would be submitted soon. About 35 people attended a meeting of Dittisham Parish Coun­cil last week where many voiced their concern at the proposal under discussion from Birming­ham-based Fine Energy.

Parish council chairman Mike Faulkner said afterwards that nobody other than Mrs Wotton spoke in favour of the turbine proposal – one of four currently under consideration in the Dartmouth area.

Mr Wotton, who is also parish councillor, left the room and did not take part in the debate.

Residents in Dittis­ham are particularly worried about the height of the turbine, which would be taller than Exeter Cathedral.

Cllr Faulkner said the visual appearance of the proposed turbine on the peak of a hill and associated noise problems were areas of great concern.

Worries over the cumulative effect if other turbines were built in the parish and close to the South Devon Area of Out­standing Natural Beauty were also raised at the meeting.

The parish council is writing to Fine Energy outlining residents concerns and asking if a balloon marker could be placed at the site showing the exact height of the turbine if an application goes ahead.

Mr Wotton said he was not surprised at the local reaction to the proposal.

'It was what we were expecting,' he said. 'But we are a small family farm and have to look at ways of staying here in the long term.

'We are not here to destroy the countryside. My family has been farming for over 100 years. I have to use our land to make a living and to hand the farm on to the future.

'Any idea to sell it and retire is not an option and you therefore have to plan in advance.'

Mr Wotton said discussions with Fine Energy had been going on for almost two years with agreements and surveys and had also involved financial investment of his own.

'It [a turbine] will not affect anybody,' he said. 'It will not affect their income, their lifestyle or their health and there will be little visual impact.

'The countryside has changed. Torquay is a sprawl; there is the boatyard on the river and the water tower.

'Nothing will stand still forever. We have to go forward.'

And he added, it was fortunate for objectors that he was not in favour of solar panels.

'I have 50 acres of south-facing farmland and have people asking me for that site, so I hope people will give me credit for that,' he added.

Ward district councillor John Tucker said: 'At the Dittisham Parish Coun­cil meeting a large number of residents attended to put their views.

'If and when applications are lodged with South Hams Council, I will look at all the evidence put forward before coming to any view.'

Nobody from Fine Energy was available to comment at the time of going to press.