EDEN MP Rory Stewart has hailed the failure of a wind turbine planning application on the edge of the Howgills as a 'victory for common sense'.

Mr Stewart, a junior Environment Minister at the Department for Food and Rural Affairs, spoke out after Eden District Council rejected plans for turbines at Raisgill Hall, east of Tebay.

The MP for Penrith and The Border had been actively involved in the campaigns against each of the turbine applications because of the lack of local approval and negative effects on the landscape.

The application at Raisgill called for a 200 foot turbine, as well as a road to service it, while a 250 foot turbine was planned for Barrock Fell.

Mr Stewart said 'the assault on the natural landscape' could have profound economic consequences', adding: "In a region where tourism is our main income earner, we are directly dependent on our natural landscape as one of the last unspoilt regions in Britain.

"Building wind turbines risks a deep and long-term negative impact on the economy of Cumbria."

Steve Dunning, who farms Raisgill, said he was 'disappointed but not surprised' by the planning decision.

"Upland farmers are expected to diversify to survive and this turbine would have provided an income for Raisgill for 25 years.

"I can understand why people objected but Britain needs to have 20 per cent of its energy produced by green generation.

"You've got to ask how we are going to do this if these applications keep being turned down."