I wonder if the people of Wiltshire are aware of the proposal to build a massive wind turbine at the base of Cley Hill. This would be an enormous structure at approximately 87 metres (288 feet) tall with a wing span of 53 metres (174 feet) and on a concrete base of some 10 metres (33 feet).

Together with this wind turbine would come an electricity sub-station, overhead power cables and a new access road from the A36 (necessary as the planning application suggests there would be 183 HGV journeys to the turbine site during construction, including some abnormal loads as the turbine would be manufactured and transported from Germany). All this in the beautiful and historic setting of Cley Hill.

Cley Hill, the site of an Iron Age Fort, is a scheduled ancient monument. It is much treasured by residents and visitors to the area. Those who climb the hill are able to appreciate views across the countryside and value the peace and tranquillity. All this would be ruined by the sight and noise of a wind turbine just a little lower in height than the hill itself.

This proposal is causing great distress to villagers in Chapmanslade and Corsley as they will not only see the turbine but also hear it. Guidelines for wind turbines say that they should be built with a distance of at least 2km from residential homes. Almost all of Chapmanslade, including its primary school, will be within 2km. Some properties will be only 500 metres away from the turbine and may also suffer from flicker effects as the turbine blades pass in front of the sun. We now find that the MoD will require the turbine to be fitted with a continuously red flashing light as a warning to its aircraft – a further disturbance to residents, especially at night.

The reason that there have been single wind turbines appearing in inappropriate places in our countryside is the system of generous Government subsidies paid to landowners (and financed through taxes we all pay on our energy bills). This is the reason for this proposal for a turbine, not for the small amount of electricity it will produce.

Please help us to protect the rural countryside. If the planning application succeeds, it will surely lead to more applications.

If you believe that we should not allow this turbine to spoil the area of outstanding natural beauty surrounding Cley Hill please look at and comment on the proposal on the Wiltshire Council planning site. The application number is 14/08778/FUL, the consultation ends on October 28.

Alison Evans, Chapmanslade.