OPPONENTS of plans for a £40 million waste incinerator in Kidderminster have warned there should be no let-up in their campaign despite the news British Sugar has had second thoughts.

Stop Kidderminster Incinerator leaders said a planning application would still go ahead and slammed the "arrogance" of contractors Severn Waste Services for pressing ahead despite mounting opposition.

Spokesman Chris Jordan was responding to a British Sugar disclosure that although it could not legally renege on the sale agreement involving eight acres of its land off Stourport Road, it no longer supported the plan.

Describing the company's new stance as "very welcome" she underlined "the fight is not over and we need the continued support of local people and businesses."

She urged people to carry on writing letters of protest to help campaigners fight the planning application expected to be lodged with Worcestershire County Council this autumn.

British Sugar said the reasons for its original support for the waste-to-energy plant next door to its factory no longer stood up.

In a letter to Wyre Forest MP David Lock, who has held talks with British Sugar to discuss opposition to the plan, the company said it expected to benefit from sharing energy produced by the plant.

But it turned out this was not possible under electrical arrangements for export to the national grid.

Hopes the factory would benefit from significant highways works as part of the scheme were also dashed.

"We are now aware through discussions locally that the changes to the road network of Stourport Road are minimal," the company said.

A spokesman added: "With this new information in mind we feel we can no longer support Severn Waste Services proposal.

"Nevertheless we are committed legally to the option agreement to sell the land and are unable to cancel the agreement."

The company had offered to return the deposit and waive further payments involving "significant" sums.

SWS area director Alan Foster said although he "did not welcome" the British Sugar statement he did not believe it would lead to problems for the project and a planning application would be submitted "as intended".

Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate Mark Simpson said Conservatives had called previously on British Sugar to think again and SWS should do the same.

"It is clear the vast majority of people in Wyre Forest don't want the incinerator and for the landowners now to agree must be deeply embarrassing for SWS," he said.