The Government was today urged by a Scottish minister to drop "short-sighted" plans for new nuclear power stations.

The call came at a conference where Energy Minister Malcolm Wickes announced the go-ahead for a big wind energy scheme in Devon and told of moves to speed up the planning process for green power developments.

The call from his Scottish ministerial counterpart, Jim Mather, came the day before the close of a consultation exercise on nuclear power.

Mr Mather told the wind energy industry annual conference in Glasgow that supporters of nuclear power argued it was needed to meet energy needs and a reduction in emissions.

"We feel those claims are desperate and hollow, particularly in the Scottish context," said Mr Mather.

"Scotland has vast resources of renewable energy - enough to meet our demands for power several times over."

There was also "tremendous opportunity" to invest in clean fossil fuel technology.

"Let me be absolutely clear - the (Scottish) Government completely rejects the development of dangerous, unnecessary and costly new nuclear power stations in Scotland.

"And I call on the UK Government to abandon its short-sighted plans to support an expansion in nuclear capacity and instead to focus its energies on providing the investment in new renewable technologies that have the long-term promise that we know can be delivered."

Mr Wickes addressed the conference earlier, and was not in the auditorium to hear Mr Mather's call.

The Energy Minister told the British Wind Energy Association conference a decision on nuclear would be taken before the end of the year.

"We are finishing a consultation on nuclear - a difficult, complex and still controversial issue," he said.

"The Government will make its own judgment on that before Christmas."

He also confirmed that he was giving the green light to the Fullabrook Down wind energy scheme planned for North Devon.

When fully operational, the 66-megawatt, 22-turbine scheme will generate enough power for 30,000 domestic customers, or 30% of North Devon's total energy consumption.

But the scheme has generated fierce controversy.

North Devon Council and rural campaigners were opposed to the scheme near an area of "outstanding natural beauty".

Mr Wicks said this was the biggest wind farm in Devon and a "significant" contribution to Britain's renewable target.

And he said achieving planning reforms would be key in Britain achieving its goals for green energy.

"For the long term, we are proposing a new infrastructure planning commission will take planning decisions on nationally-significant infrastructure projects, including large-scale renewables," he said.

He went on: "We recognise that change is also needed in planning systems for renewables in the short term, to deliver quicker decisions including prioritising wind farm appeals, training planners on renewable energy, and further work for the Government and the industry to improve scheme application and quality.

"There will be new guidance in the forthcoming climate change policy planning statement.

"It is expected that this will contain a requirement on local authorities to consider renewables applications favourably, and not simply use an argument that projects might be located elsewhere."