Developers of a new wind farm off Barrow-in-Furness are due to meet concerned residents to discuss their plans.

Warwick Energy plan to construct wind turbines in the sea, 7km south west of Walney Island in Cumbria.

The company hopes the offshore wind farm - due to be constructed in 2004 - will generate enough energy to power 87,000 homes.

But there has been strong opposition to the plans by some residents living in the Morecambe Bay area.

High impact

The Morecambe Bay Partnership - a charity which aims to prevent conflicts around the Bay - is holding a meeting with representatives from Warwick Energy on Tuesday.

Spokeswoman, Susannah Bleakley, told BBC Radio Cumbria, it was likely to be an interesting discussion.

She said: "Most people are quite interested and quite excited by the prospect of green energy, but it is the practicalities that have always proved so difficult.

"People have said in the past that wind turbines are noisy, well, we are certainly not going to hear them above the crashing waves on the beach.

"People have also said they don't generate enough energy to make an impact whereas this proposal certainly will."

Greenhouse gases

Warwick Energy has said the closest turbine will be about 7km from the southern tip of Walney Island

The site is expected to comprise 30 wind turbines with a maximum height to blade tip of up to 125m above mean sea level, covering an area of 10sq km of seabed.

Subject to consent, the site may generate up to 108MW of renewable energy for up to 20 years.

Warwick Energy said: "Offshore wind farms such as this proposal are a key element of the UK Government's commitment to reducing carbon dioxide and other 'greenhouse gases'.

"The proposed offshore wind farm will help meet the north west's target for renewable generation."