ANTI-INCINERATOR protesters packed Kidderminster Town Hall to see councillors turn down plans to locate the £40 million high-tech burner in Stourport Road. A packed Kidderminster Town Hall for the meeting.

Roars of delight greeted Worcestershire County Council planning and regulatory committee's decision to throw out Severn Waste Service's scheme to build the incinerator on land at the British Sugar site.

Supporters of the proposals to bring the burner to Kidderminster were heckled each time they spoke throughout the tension-filled meeting, which ended with an 11-2 vote in favour of refusing the scheme.

It was thrown out on grounds of harming visual amenity, impact on nature conservation, loss of sports facilities and a dangerous increase in traffic.

Rapturous applause was given to Kidderminster county councillor John Gretton, who was invited to speak as the ward councillor for the proposed incinerator site as he does not sit on the planning committee.

He told members: "The deal between British Sugar and Severn Waste Services had been struck long before much of the public consultation took place which is unacceptable."

He added: "The traffic logjam on Stourport Road is already incredible and recent repair work on it had to be carried out at night because the road is so busy. So how on earth would it cope with the increase in traffic volume the incinerator would cause?

"Its 40-metre high construction would have been a blot on the landscape and house prices had already started to fall for properties situated directly by the proposed site."

Kidderminster county councillor for Hurcott Linda Townley said the fact there is currently no Waste Local Plan for Worcestershire meant it was a "joke" to ask members to approve such a "massive" application.

"Any of the four reasons for refusing the scheme would stand alone as suitable for refusal, so all of them, coupled with the lack of waste plan, make it an absolute joke to ask us to take a massive leap in faith by granting approval for the incinerator," she said.

Councillor Stephen Clee said: "Myself and members of this committee visited a waste-to-energy facility in Coventry similar to the one proposed for Kidderminster and were impressed with what we saw.

"However, the site did not create a large traffic impact, did not risk potential harm to nature and conservation, and most importantly did not compromise the health of residents."

Councillor John Smith said: "Our political leaders at County Hall tell us time and time again that we are supposed to be a caring and listening council.

"So, considering there have been 1,089 letters of objection and an 18,000-name petition against the incinerator we must listen to these people and it is right for us to refuse the application."