Campaigners fighting plans for a windfarm at Hampole were today planning to tell Doncaster councillors it was not just nearby residents who opposed the scheme.

HALT - Hampole Against Large Turbines - were addressing a specially-called technical meeting for members of the council's planning committee.

The protesters said hundreds of visitors to nearby Brodsworth Hall had also signed letters protesting against the plans.

Today's meeting was being held to give both the protesters and the electricity company wanting to build the turbines, more time to put across their arguments ahead of Tuesday's planning committee meeting.

Campaigner Nick Balliger said: "Brodsworth gets 75,000 visitors a year, and the turbines would be clearly visible from the entrance.

"English Heritage say they are not concerned about the plans, but we went to ask visitors what they thought. Many thought it was an outrageous place for a windfarm and signed letters of objection. It is not just just nimbyism on our part.

"Doncaster already has windfarms on the way at Tween Bridge and Marr, which will see it exceed its target for 2021."

Campaigners are also claiming the scheme would harm bats in the area.

Doncaster Council's planning committee is due to vote on RWE Npower Renewables' planning application for a windfarm on land to the west of the A1, south-east of Hampole, at next week's meeting at Mansion House.

Npower said the windfarm planning application was submitted following extensive assessments into the site's suitability, as well as consultation with local people.

The proposed windfarm comprises five 125-metre wind turbines, and it is anticipated that these would produce enough renewable electricity to meet the average annual needs of 4,800 to 7,300 homes.

Joanna Thompson, of RWE npower renewables, said: "Meeting UK targets for renewable energy is a huge challenge and onshore windfarms, such as the one proposed at Hampole, are a vital part of the ongoing effort to tackle climate change."

There are around 880 letters of objection from local residents and a protest petition signed by about 300 people.

But over 500 letters of support for the development have also been submitted and pro-wind power pressure group Alliance4Wind collected names on letters during a day campaigning outside Mansion House.