Plans to expand the Hyndburn wind farm in Oswaldtwistle by a third have been approved.

Energie Kontor submitted proposals to the council to build four new 122-metre high wind turbines on land at Oswaldtwistle Moor off Haslingden Road for a period of 25 years.

The existing Hyndburn wind farm is due to be decommissioned in 2037.

The plan is infill to the existing 12-turbine wind farm, and the bid also outlines plans to create access tracks, crane pads and underground electrical cabling.

The application also outlines the area in which the proposed turbines are to be built to fill in the gaps between existing turbines.

Councillors followed the planning officers recommendations by passing the scheme by eight votes to five in favour at a meeting this week. However councillors in Oswaldtwistle voiced their opposition and called the plans ‘ruinous’.

Coun Peter Britcliffe told the meeting: “What if next year they want another four turbines? We will have our beautiful moorland in Oswaldtwistle covered in these machines.

“On balance I don’t think a good argument has been made to support the extra four. I’m voting against this ruinous desecration of the Oswaldtwistle moorland.”

Fellow ward councillor Judith Addison said she ‘didn’t want to see the original turbines’ built and fears this application is ‘opening the floodgates’.

Coun Miles Parkinson said he did not think the scheme would damage the moors and said it was only there ‘temporarily for 25 years’ before being fully removed.

He said: “It’s not like it’s a mine or nuclear power. On the basis of that I’m in favour.”

Six letters of objection and four letters of approval were sent to the council and other objections were also submitted, including one from Rossendale council.

They expressed concern that some of the blades could oversail the boundary between the two boroughs. Residents also complained about disruption to television signal from the existing turbines.

Energie Kontor said the proposal includes a ‘comprehensive mitigation package which will continue the enhancement of the moor, building on the work which was undertaken for the original wind farm’.

The wind farm on Oswaldtwistle Moor has been in operation since October 2012.