CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans to build 12 turbines on land near Beccles say they are gearing up for a summer of action.HALT is opposing proposals which could see four groups of three turbines on land in the parishes of Ringsfield, Weston, Barsham and Shipmeadow.

CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans to build 12 turbines on land near Beccles say they are gearing up for a summer of action.

HALT is opposing proposals

which could see four groups of three turbines on land in the parishes of Ringsfield, Weston, Barsham and Shipmeadow.

The turbines are the idea of Beccles mother-of-two Hannah Blowers and would be put up by Stamford Renewables.

HALT chairman Philip Johnson said: "HALT is quietly confident of success. We're very lucky in that we have environmental scientists, surveyors, lawyers and energy industry professionals with relevant experience living in the village.

We have also appointed a good barrister, a landscape consultant, a noise specialist and an ecologist to advise us, all of whom have a great track record of opposing wind turbine developments."

Mr Johnson said that several county councillors were supporting the group in their fight and that HALT could not see how the developer could obtain planning approval for the turbines given their proximity to the Broads which has the equivalent of national park status.

He said that an exhibition is

being held at Ringsfield Village Hall

on Saturday, July 4 between 10am

and 3pm when residents will be able to see photomontages of the wind

turbines and a petition will be launched.

"We hope this will bring home to people just what an impact these massive turbines will have on our local landscape," Mr Johnson said.

The group will also have a stand in Beccles town centre on August 1

where they will be distributing

leaflets and adding more names to the petition.

Mike Stamford, chief executive of Stamford Renewables, said the Broads Authority was one of a number of bodies being consulted about the proposals.

He said that if the scheme was given planning approval a community fund set up for 12 turbines would bring in �72,000 per annum for their 25-year lifespan which could be spent on local projects. Some of this money, he said, would go to the Broads restoration fund.

He said in support of the project: "It is first of all fighting climate change because it is producing renewable energy which displaces fossil fuel energy. If we stop coal and other fossil fuel burning we attack 80pc of the climate problem.

"I also want turbines on British soil. At the moment all the money you and I spend on electricity bills goes to utility firms such as EDF with profits going back to Paris."