A High Court judge has thrown out a challenge by North Devon District Council to plans to build Devon's biggest wind farm.

North Devon Council announced its disappointment at the High Court's decision not to uphold the Council's challenge against a decision to build 22 giant wind turbines in North Devon.

During the Inquiry, North Devon Council argued strongly that the impact the development would have on the local landscape, the lives of those living in the area, the attractiveness of the area to visitors and local tourism far out weighed any benefits.

At the High Court in London, the Council's legal team challenged the way factors such as noise, landscape and policy were considered in the decision following from the original Public Inquiry.

Leader of North Devon Council, Mike Harrison, says, "We took the route we felt was right to ensure the well being of the people of North Devon and the countryside. This was an important point of principle and was not a decision we at the Council took lightly.

"If this indication is correct we will be extremely disappointed and will be considering all our options."

The Council is expecting the judge to hand down his formal decision on Friday morning with his reasons.

Earlier this year North Devon Council decided to seek a full judicial review against the Secretary of State's decision to grant planning permission for a 66-megawatt wind farm at Fullabrook Down.

His decision to grant planning permission for the development at Fullabrook Down followed a Public Inquiry held between November 2006 and January 2007.

The wind farm, north of Barnstaple, would be about 20km (12miles) from Exmoor National Park and the biggest in the South West. The 110m (360ft) tall turbines are three times the height of existing ones in Cornwall and twice the height of Nelson's column.

Devon Wind Power, which is behind the scheme, says the wind farm would generate enough power for the annual needs of 30,000 domestic users, or 30% of total electricity consumption in north Devon.