TORY leader Michael Howard today visited protesters angry at plans for a wind farm in Denby Dale.
He was shown the proposed site for the huge turbines, which measure 406ft from ground to tip.
He was also briefed by campaign group Residents Against Wind Farms.
Mr Howard said: "We are not against wind farms in principle, but local people should have a real say in where they are sited.
"After today I will be keeping in touch with the local Tory candidate to see what happens here.
"I know local people will want to make their voices heard but that ability has been diminished by the Government's latest planning law."
Planning permission has not yet been given, but Danish wind farm company Alpha Wind Energy has already put a small test turbine on the site.
Campaigner Lynda Lawrence, who refers to the turbines as monsters, showed Mr Howard the site.
She said: "He talked in the summer about the problems some rural communities were facing with having turbines built very close to them.
"There are so many issues with having the wind farm here. The closest house is just 350 metres away."
Mr Howard was also due today to give a speech at Batley Town Hall, depicting his party as the natural political home for ethnic minorities.
He was voicing his support for a multi-racial Britain.
The Tory leader was due to condemn Islamophobia and argue that encouraging tolerance and opportunity for all will do more to promote the interests of ethnic minorities than positive discrimination.
Mr Howard was saying that the Government had failed to deliver for ethnic groups and that Liberal Democrat values did not reflect those of minorities.
This afternoon he was due to visit Holmfirth to meet Maggie Throup, his party's prospective parliamentary candidate for Colne Valley.
