PLANS for an 85-metre, £2.4 million wind turbine in a picturesque country park have been put on hold after concerns about the financial viability of the project.

Braintree District Council had wanted to build a 1.5MW turbine in Great Notley Country Park and were just halfway through an eight-week public consultation when they decided to pull the plug on the development.

Council leader Graham Butland said the decision owed much to rumours relating to future cuts in subsidies for wind energy following Government plans to slash the feed-in-tariff for solar panels.

He also said that new research detailed health risks of positioning wind turbines less than two kilometres from built-up areas.

"There are rumours the Government will cut the wind turbine tariffs later in the year," Mr Butland said, "and this will have a negative impact on the financial viability of the project.

"There is also a significant discussion going on as to whether wind turbines should be placed further away from built-up areas.

"New research says there are potential negative health impacts of living so close to a wind turbine.

I really didn't want to go through a full consultation that could be deemed flawed in the future."

The proposed wind turbine would have been 520 metres from the nearest house, well within current planning laws, but new research suggests they should be placed at least two kilometres from built-up areas, Mr Butland said.

He said: "It would be wrong to continue to seek public views on our proposal to put a wind turbine at Great Notley Country Park when we are becoming increasingly uncertain of whether it would be financially viable.

"I am also concerned about the differing views on appropriate distances of wind turbines from residential properties as nationally there is still a lot of debate on this. Therefore we are putting the wind turbine project on hold so we have more time to research and clarify these key issues before considering the future of this project.

"I want to be assured we are doing the right thing."

The council had hoped the turbine would save taxpayers £250,000 a year by selling electricity back to the grid and reducing its carbon footprint by 1,350 tonnes.

Green councillor James Abbott said: "We're extremely disappointed. The turbine would have created local jobs, saved taxpayers money and reduced our carbon use. But I think the council have made the correct decision. With all the uncertainty over tariffs, sadly, it looks like the right move."