A BREWERY has joined the fight against plans for a wind farm which, it claims, would have a significant impact on its business.St Peters Brewery, within the parish of St Peter South Elmham, is within 500 yards of one of the turbines proposed for a wind farm which would extend as far as the former Flixton Airfield.

A BREWERY has joined the fight against plans for a wind farm which, it claims, would have a significant impact on its business.

St Peters Brewery, within the parish of St Peter South Elmham, is within 500 yards of one of the turbines proposed for a wind farm which would extend as far as the former Flixton Airfield.

Developer Enertrag UK is considering whether to proceed with plans to erect either four or six turbines in the area. Each turbine would be 120 metres tall.

The company is now considering reports from Waveney District Council which set out the environmental issues which will have to be addressed if a planning application is eventually submitted.

However, John Murphy, the brewery chairman, said yesterdaythat any plans to erect turbines in the vicinity of the brewery would be fiercely opposed.

Economic issues had to be addressed as well as environmental issues, he claimed.

“We believe there will be a significant impact on our business. We are a tourist destination. People come here to see the building, to visit the shop and go on brewery tours and it will not be such an attractive destination if there is a 120-metre high tower a few hundred yards away,” he said.

Mr Murphy said the company also felt the wind farm would be to the detriment of its “brand image”.

“We are housed in a Grade II * listed building in unspoilt Suffolk countryside and we make much of this in our promotional and advertising material.

“If we are going to get a wind farm right on top of us we might as well have based our operation on an industrial estate in Stoke-on-Trent,” he added.

Waveney Windfarm Watch (WWW), the local protest group, has obtained permission from the brewery to stage a roadshow on its premises on March 31 from 3pm till 9pm.

David Hooper, WWW spokesman, said the roadshow was aimed at raising people's awareness of the local proposal and about wind power in general.

Local residents believed the wind farm would be “inappropriate” to the area and of questionable benefit, he said.

David Linley, Enertrag UK project manager, said he was aware of the St Peters Brewery concerns and had written to the company.

“We have sent the district council responses to our environmental consultants and we await their report. I have no idea when we will reach a decision on these proposals,” he added.