Suffolk County councillors are to consider supporting plans for the proposed £200 million gas-fired power station to be built at Eye airfield.

At the council’s next cabinet meeting on Tuesday, senior councillors will be asked to consider a recommendation to support the proposals, which are to be completed by Progress Power.

The benefits the development could bring will be discussed, including the creation of jobs and growth to Suffolk’s economy and energy sectors.

However, the report calls for clarity on how the county’s environment will be protected and benefits to the region’s economy, with concerns over potential shortages of skilled labour and the visual impact of the station.

Councillor Richard Smith, said: “To make the proposal a success it is very important that Progress Power continues to work with the councils and the local community as a whole to make sure that the development benefits Suffolk.

“The county council recognises the need for a secure, affordable and diverse energy supply, and welcomes the wider economic benefits and the contribution to the delivery of the Suffolk Growth Strategy this development could bring.

“Of course it is important to realise that the wind turbines is the reason why this proposal has come forward,” he added.

“When there is no wind and need electricity we need facilities like this to come in reasonably quickly and provide it.”

Councillor Andrew Stringer, deputy leader of the Green and Independent Group, dismissed claims the power station was required to make up the short-fall left by renewable energy,

“I find that hard to believe,” he said. “I think that is just complete spin.

“To suggest that Suffolk needs a gas-fired power station to supplement offshore power is spin.

“Because of localism this will be forced upon us.

“This is the government’s idea of localism.”

The planning application for the station, earmarked to open in 2018, will be decided directly by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, due to the sheer scale of the project.

If given the go-ahead, up to 250 jobs would be created for the construction period, as well as 15 permanent skilled jobs. The equivalent of 400,000 homes could be powered by the electricity the station could generate.