PLANS for a new recycling plant in Worcestershire that would process thousands of tonnes of rubbish a year have been given the green light by council officials.

County councillors last week backed plans for a waste treatment and recycling plant in Hartlebury, near Stourport-on-Severn, and now the centre must be approved by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister because it is on greenbelt land.

"There are stringent conditions attached to the application and these will be adhered to, to protect the area in line with the issues raised by those nearest to the site," said Coun Alwyn Davies, cabinet member for environment and sustainability.

"This is the first step in a new process for this county and will help us to achieve the objectives of our joint municipal waste strategy and reduce the amount we send to landfill."

Waste at the centre would be treated by high temperature steam allowing for metals and mixed plastics to be sorted, organic material to be turned into a fibre that can be used for fuel and the rest taken to landfill.

Worcestershire is also set to receive £534,962 from Government to help encourage families to sort their rubbish for recycling and "go green".

Government cash

Coun Davies said the extra Government funding would help push through the plans to reduce waste.

"The joint strategy has been drawn up to make sure that residents get the best and most cost-effective waste disposal service that we can offer, so anything that boosts our strategy is a boost for local people," he said.

"I further hope that this money can be used to make people aware of the effect waste has on the environment and how we can work together to reduce it."

The money will help ease fears that council tax in Worcestershire could rise by £1.5m because the county was missing recycling targets.

n A previous controversial plan, by Severn Waste Services, to build an incinerator on the site of the former British Sugar plant at Kidderminster failed when a public inquiry unceremoniously threw it out.

In September 2002 the Worcestershire County Council leader, Dr George Lord, said that incineration in Worcestershire was a"dead duck".His comments were seen at the time to be a victory for the campaigners who had battled against the £40m scheme.

Workers at the sugar factory were stunned when it was in announced that more than 50 jobs were to be axed at the Stourport Road operation and relocated to Shrewsbury.