The Tory energy minister has condemned the way wind farms have been "peppered" across the countryside, insisting "enough is enough".
In remarks bound to inflame coalition tensions, John Hayes said the spread of turbines "seems extraordinary" and they should no longer be "imposed on communities".
He revealed he has ordered a new analysis of the case for onshore wind power, saying policy should not be based on a "bourgeois Left article of faith".
Sky News understands that the controversial comments were in the first draft of a speech delivered by Mr Hayes on Tuesday but that Energy Secretary Ed Davey, a Lib Dem, vetoed them before delivery.
Despite this, they leaked out and were revealed by both the Daily Mail and The Telegraph.
They will delight scores of Conservative MPs, who have been urging David Cameron to block further expansion of onshore wind farms, but infuriate their Lib Dem partners.
Energy minister John Hayes Mr Hayes said: "We can no longer have wind turbines imposed on communities. I can't single-handedly build a new Jerusalem but I can protect our green and pleasant land.
"We have issued a call for evidence on wind. That is about cost but also about community buy-in. We need to understand communities' genuine desires.
"We will form our policy in the future on the basis of that, not on a bourgeois Left article of faith based on some academic perspective."
The senior Tory insisted only a minority of proposed wind turbines were needed to meet green targets set by the Government.
"If you look at what has been built, what has consent and what is in the planning system, much of it will not get through and will be rejected. Even if a minority of what's in the system is built, we are going to reach our 2020 target," he said.
He added: "I'm saying enough is enough."
The minister said new research on wind turbines would make a far wider assessment of their impact on the rural landscape and property prices.
"I have asked the planning minister to look again at the relationship between these turbines and the landscape," he said.
"It seems extraordinary to have allowed them to be peppered around the country without due regard for the interests of the local community or their wishes."
Mr Hayes said the impact of onshore wind farms on environments had been "neglected" and renewable energy needed "genuine community support".
"The salience of aesthetics to discussions about renewables has often been neglected," he added. "All that we do must be sensitive to local environments."
Mr Hayes went ahead with his speech to the Renewables UK event on Tuesday night but his criticism of wind farms was not part of the address.
A Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) spokesman said: "The Minister did not make the speech that is suggested by these articles", and said the address was "well received" by the renewables industry.
"Government policy for renewables, as stated in the Renewables Roadmap, sets out scenarios for renewable deployment, but does not set targets or caps for the deployment of individual technologies, including on onshore wind," the spokesman said.
"Government is committed to supporting a balanced energy mix of renewables, new nuclear and gas in order to meet the UK's energy needs."
Mr Hayes, who was only appointed to the energy brief in September's reshuffle, is believed to support a moratorium on new onshore wind farms.
The Energy Secretary was reportedly so concerned about his new deputy's views on the issue that he acted to limit his responsibilities.
The DECC insisted on Wednesday that there is "no question of a change in policy".
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