HOMES could be dramatically de-valued or rendered "unsaleable" if plans for wind farms are ever given the go-ahead, a Ribble Valley estate agent has claimed.

Mr Ian Lloyd, a partner in the Clitheroe firm of Mortimer, Gorse and Ross, said he has no specific views on wind farms as sources of environmentally-friendly energy, but claims the alternative energy sources are definitely not property-market friendly!

Mr Lloyd said: "Since the furore about wind farms in this part of the world blew up I have been asked several times about the effect they might have on the value of property.

"And in my opinion any home within half a mile of a wind farm would suffer a substantial drop in value - anything from 25-50 - per cent and, in some cases, it could make the property unsaleable.

"These wind farms have been proposed for particular rural locations which, of course, attract the top end of the market - barn conversion territory and so on.

"Anyone with £250,000 or so to spend on a home and with the choice available in today's market, is not going to choose to live near a wind farm."

Ribble Valley Borough Council has already turned down two applications for wind speed monitoring masts on Longridge and Easington Fells.

The masts would provide essential information about whether wind farms would be viable in those positions and the two companies involved are hoping to get permission on appeal.

The wind farm projects have caused a storm of protest among residents and nature lovers alike all over the area and a full scale campaign to prevent the development is underway.

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