North Meath Wind Farm, a subsidiary of UK-based Element Power, saw its challenge over planning permission for a wind farm at Castletownmoor, Co Meath dismissed by the High Court on Wednesday.

This means that An Bord Pleanála's decision to refuse planning permission for 25 wind turbines measuring 169m in height still stands.

Local residents including many farmers had opposed the proposed development, initially planned for 46 turbines in 2014 and finally rejected by An Bord Pleánala last July in a scaled-down format. The planning authority cited various reasons for its decision at the time, including "the proximity of the development to a large number of houses located in the open countryside, within Carlanstown and in the nearby town of Kells".

Local Fianna Fáil TD Thomas Byrne welcomed the court's decision and said: "This is at least the third time a state authority has said no to this project. It is entirely unsuitable for the area and I hope the developers get the message."

The North Meath Windfarm Information Group, which opposes the project, described the outcome of the case as "a great day for the community and for all the people who don't want to have a 600ft turbine spinning outside their back door making money for someone else".

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