BIDFORD residents were today being urged to protest against controversial plans for a waste transfer site on Waterloo Industrial Estate.

Bidford Parish Council appealed to villagers to turn up to a Warwickshire County Council inspection of the Wellington Road site with placards, banners and notices brandishing the slogan 'Bidford says NO to waste site'.

The county council will make a decision on the application submitted by private company MRW to convert the former Bidford Plant Hire site at a meeting next month and the parish council were keen for residents to show opposition before any decision was made.

More than 100 residents attended a special meeting held by the parish council in June to discuss concerns about the application, which would mean up to 30 heavy goods vehicles, including rigid tippers, skip vehicles, vans and lorries accessing the site each day.

Parish council clerk Elizabeth Kidner said: "The main concerns expressed at the meeting were traffic, noise and dust, storage of waste on site, hazardous waste and vehicle emissions.

"There are some very successful office-based businesses on the estate and it's felt the presence of MRW would deter new businesses from moving there and result in established ones moving away."

Mrs Kidner added: "It's difficult to overstate the parish council and residents' anger, dismay and concern about this application and I know that many villagers have sent letters of objection."

A county council spokesman said: "The application is for a waste transfer recycling centre, skip hire maintenance workshop and office accommodation.

"This has already come before the regulatory committee but it deferred a decision until members had been on a site visit.

"Once this has taken place, the committee will make its decision at its meeting on September 2."