Over 100 local residents sent letters of approval to the town council regarding the project but more than twice that number presented their objections on the grounds it would mar the pristine landscape and cause noise issues for homeowners.

Local activist organisation, the Brechfa Forest Action (BFA) group, said it was "appalled by the apparent disregard of recent evidence of the health effects of the sound coming from Scotland and from residents living near the Blaen Bowl turbines".

“The council's own policies are supposed to protect us, ensuring no effect on the quality of local environment,” said BFA coordinator Caroline Evans.

"There would be a major impact on tourism in the area.”

Councillors visited the 76m turbines at Blaen Bowl wind farm in Carmarthenshire in order to gauge the effect of wind turbines on the local environment.

Approval was given by the county's planning committee last week, despite shouts of “shame” from the public gallery as the motion passed.

The application from energy company Catamount from Vermont in the US is for ten turbines, each over 110m tall, making them taller than the 99.7m Cefn Croes turbines at Ceredigion.

Local farmers present at the council meeting applauded the decision, saying the development would bring much needed rental income from having them on their land.

The wind farm is the first application to be approved in one of the "TAN 8" areas, which have been designated by the Welsh Assembly Government as preferred places for wind farm development.

Although wind power is being aggressively pursued in Welsh locations as a means for the UK to meet its clean energy targets, a divide in public opinion has continually dogged recent proposals and split environmental groups into those calling for clean energy and those championing the preservation of rural wilderness.