Town councillors have unanimously recommended that plans for a wind turbine development near Beccles be refused. Renewable energy company Stamford Renewables is seeking planning permission to build three groups of three turbines at Devonshire Farm and Granary Farm, both in Ringsfield, and Laurels Farm in Barsham.

Town councillors have unanimously recommended that plans for a wind turbine development near Beccles be refused.

Renewable energy company Stamford Renewables is seeking planning permission to build three groups of three turbines at Devonshire Farm and Granary Farm, both in Ringsfield, and Laurels Farm in Barsham.

Plans for the scheme were withdrawn in April just hours before a decision was due, but were resubmitted in July.

There has been strong local opposition to the scheme and a campaign group called HALT has been formed to fight the plans.

Beccles Town Council unanimously recommended that the plans be refused at a meeting on Tuesday night.

The plans are expected to be considered by Waveney District Council's development control committee in October.

Town councillors were keen to stress that people who objected to the first set of plans must register their objections again if they want them to count this time around.

Town councillor Jack Walmsley said: “Waveney will have a list of all the objectors. We could ask them to write to all the objectors and tell them if they wish to object they will have to do it again.”

Local residents' concerns include that the turbines would be too close to homes and cause shadow flicker and noise.

They are also worried that the turbines would have a negative impact on the landscape, tourism and the Broads and would cause problems with television reception.

However, supporters say that increasing renewable energy is vital to reduce greenhouse gases and that climate change will have a greater impact on the landscape than turbines.