A massive off-shore wind farm with the power to supply 72,000 homes has received another blow.

EDF Energy wants to build 30 giant turbines half a mile off Coatham Sands, in Redcar, east Cleveland.

But the development is facing growing opposition because the proposed site is near a protected bird sanctuary and one of the east coast's busiest shipping lanes.

Vera Baird, MP for Redcar, has long been campaigning against the plans and has been joined by three other MPs - Dari Taylor Stockton South MP, Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough south and east Cleveland, and Frank Cook, MP for Stockton north.

She also has received the backing of English Nature, which has sent its objections to the Department of Trade and Industry, as well as support from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

Local wind farm protest group Save Our Shoreline is also opposing the windfarm and more than 5,000 signatures have been collected from residents against the proposal and sent to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Now the Redcar and Cleveland Council's planning committee has lodged an objection to the plans with the DTI, which is determining the application.

Committee member Councillor Alma Thrower said members had been concerned about the visual aspect of the windfarm off Coatham for the residents of Redcar, the danger to wild birds and the disturbance of marine life.

She said concerns had also been raised about the effect on the regeneration of Redcar, including plans for the development of the Coatham Enclosure.

The effects on tourism and on businesses in the town were also discussed, as well as the possible contamination of the sea bed.

"The people of Redcar are against the proposal and we must listen to them," she said.

EDF Energy said the Redcar location was chosen because of the good wind resource and other factors, including shipping lanes and water depth.

If it goes ahead the company says it will save 260,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions - the gas blamed for the greenhouse effect - each year.

The company - which looked at ten sites from Berwick to the Wash - has extended its consultation period to the end of August..