Protesters block Eden entrances

Demonstrators say the site is too close to nearby houses

Demonstrators blocked traffic into the Eden Project in a protest against plans for a giant wind turbine.

The 127m (416ft) machine would be put on the northern side of the Eden site, near St Austell in Cornwall, if Restormel Borough Council approves it.

Protesters, who called off the demonstration after about an hour, clashed with visitors and police.

Environmental charity Eden said the turbine would have to be large to be economical and to power the site.

The three main entrances to Eden were blocked by protesters' cars, said an Eden spokesman.

Many of the people who are arguing against this are in a kind of cocoon Tim Smit, Eden Project

Eden chief executive Tim Smit said the 2 megawatt turbine would cost about £3m.

There were only two options on the site where the turbine could be built, so it was at least 450m (1,476ft) away from the nearest house and would comply with regulations.

One of the sites was in a pit, which would mean the turbine would not be in a good position for catching wind, leaving Eden with the one suitable site which already had a small turbine.

He said Eden had considered hydro-electric power, further solar and geo-thermal systems.

But none was capable of providing Eden's needs at a price it could afford and "the only realistic alternative" was wind.

Mr Smit said: "Leaving aside Eden and our 400ft turbine, history tells us that being dependent on energy from outside your boundaries is a really bad thing.

"If climate change gets worse, we are not going to have the time to put in the technological solutions and many of the people who are arguing against this are in a kind of cocoon."

A public meeting to discuss the turbine proposal is taking place at 1900 BST in Trethurgy village hall.

Resident Meg Prater told BBC News she was concerned about noise from the turbine and would be attending the meeting.

"Some people think Eden seems to have given very little research into other renewal energy sources such as geothermal energy," she said.