Green energy campaigners are celebrating after the inspector ordered Wiltshire Council to delete its policy on wind farms from the Core Strategy.

The council had planned to impose a minimum separation distance between housing and new wind developments, which would essentially prevent any from being built in the county.

However, Planning Inspector Andrew Seaman ordered this policy be struck out of the document.

The Wiltshire Clean Air Alliance, which campaigns for renewable energy in the county, has opposed the plans since they were introduced in 2012.

Its co-ordinator, Sophy Fearnley-Whittingstall, said: “We are very pleased that the Planning Inspector has said this.

“Planning policy should be open-minded and un-biased, and wind farm applications should be judged on a case-by-case basis in line with national policy, which already has robust guidance on appropriate locations for wind turbines.

“Since this policy was introduced almost two years ago, all forms of wind development in Wiltshire – both commercial and community – have been on hold, which is a shame. But now we will have a stronger policy in Wiltshire that will set an important precedent for other local authorities.”

She also confirmed the first site to benefit from the change in policy could be the Thoulstone Farm site near Chapmanslade, where plans for turbines had previously been shelved.

The owners of family beef farm are looking to develop the site for wind turbines with Swansea-based developer Seren Energy Limited, in an attempt diversify activities at the farm.