RAVENSWOOD has moved into pole position to become the site of Ipswich's first wind turbine, The Evening Star can today reveal.If a study on weather conditions in the area supports the case for a turbine, the estate is likely to become Ipswich Borough Council's preferred site for the renewable energy project.

RAVENSWOOD has moved into pole position to become the site of Ipswich's first wind turbine, The Evening Star can today reveal.

If a study on weather conditions in the area supports the case for a turbine, the estate is likely to become Ipswich Borough Council's preferred site for the renewable energy project.

Early indications of support from residents and the area's history as a sustainable development have placed it ahead of sites at Sproughton and Thorington Park as the front runner for the scheme.

The council's head of environmental strategy, Dr Matthew Ling, is set to take its case for the turbine to residents on Tuesday at a community meeting, which could ultimately determine its fate.

If residents attending the meeting of the Ravenswood Residents' Association are supportive, the estate's 1,2000 homes and dozens of businesses that it will eventually contain could one day all be powered by renewable energy.

Dr Ling said: "What we want to do is have the discussion to find out what their view is.

"We've had majority positive support for it but there are always questions about it."

Ravenswood has won awards for its sustainable design and the council believes the estate's residents are supportive of a renewable energy project.

Dr Ling said: "I think it's the right place to do it. There's already an awareness of the bigger environmental issues.

"It would act as a landmark to some extent to say this is what this community believes in."

Ravenswood Residents' Association chairwoman Ginny Waterworth said there had been a lot of interest in the idea of the wind turbine.

She said: "The support for the turbine has been good. Most people have an open mind and the feeling is they don't see any harm in it.

"Some residents have concerns about the noise, the effect on bird life or what sort of impact it could have on their homes but apart from that, nobody has said they don't want it.

"We would like it to be of some benefit for Ravenswood, perhaps for the school children offering them projects they could get involved in.

In January Ipswich Borough Council revealed it was in the "early stages" of discussions with renewable energy specialists SLP Energy to construct a turbine on one of the three sites identified.

The council says there are now two companies which have expressed interest in the project.

Tuesday's meeting is being held at Ravenswood Primary School, Ravenswood Avenue, from 7.30pm until 8.30pm.

N Would you support construction of a wind turbine at Ravenswood? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.