BACKERS of controversial plans to build a wind farm on land at Den Brook near North Tawton say they are delighted the town council is not supporting West Devon Borough Council when the application goes to appeal later this year. Renewable Energy Systems? application to build the nine-turbine wind farm was thrown out by borough planners last November. The company has appealed against that refusal. The company and the owner of the land at Den Brook say they are pleased by the town council?s recent decision ? although the council insists it has not changed its mind on the issue. Debbie Branch, clerk to North Tawton Town Council, said: ?The council objected to the original planning application but at a recent meeting, the council resolved not to send a letter of support to West Devon regarding the appeal. The councillors have basically decided not to do anything else ? they haven?t written a letter but they haven?t changed their minds.? Maureen Thomson, chairman of the Den Brook Valley Action Group, has criticised RES, claiming it is ?misrepresenting the situation?. The proposed turbines at Den Brook would be higher than those which are the subject of an appeal at Yelland Farm, near Okehampton. They would supply electricity equivalent to the annual needs of around half of West Devon and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. As well as generating clean electricity, Renewable Energy Systems says the wind farm would bring positive economic benefits to the community, such as infrastructure improvements to Dartmoor Railway, a £27,000 a year community fund, local sourcing of labour and materials and wildlife enhancements. Project manager Rachel Ruffle said: ?We are pleased that North Tawton Town Council has decided it will not be writing to support West Devon in opposition to our appeal against the refusal of the wind farm. ?Many people in Devon were disappointed when the project was turned down. ?They recognise the urgent need for renewable energy to combat climate change and rising fuel prices. ?We believe we have put forward a well-designed project that will bring many benefits to the area as well as to our environment for future generations.? Farmer Martin Tucker, who owns the land on which the wind farm could be built, said: ?You can?t bury your head in the sand. I am in my fifties now but it?s the next generation we have to think about ? what will they be saying in ten years? time if there?s no electric light?? Mr Tucker?s determination to allow the wind farm to be built on his land has attracted considerable opposition ? trespassers have come on to his land and vandalised signs and also attacked the wind measuring equipment situated there. Mr Tucker said his home would be closest to the proposed windfarm ? but he had no worries about being affected by them. ?The modern ones have really been improved ? there are older type ones I?ve seen I wouldn?t like to live near. ?I actually like to see them and I?m really committed to going for this.? A date and place for the public inquiry into the Den Brook windfarm proposals has yet to be released by the planning inspectorate.