THE fight goes on for campaigners who shouted "shame on you" at councillors who approved a controversial application to build a recycling plant in a village near Worcester.

More than 100 people packed a planning meeting to discuss Mercia Waste Managements's application for Woodbury Lane, Norton.

A petition of more than 1,500 names was handed in at the meeting, but campaigners' efforts were dashed when councillors on Worcestershire County Council's planning and regulatory committee voted in favour of the scheme yesterday.

After the meeting David Crosby, of the J-7 Waste Action Group, said the group would consider appealing against the decision. David Goggin, aged 55, of Woodbury Park, said: "I'm totally disgusted."

He has previously appeared in the Worcester News saying he could not sell his home because of the application.

Michael Reeves, chairman of Norton-Juxta-Kempsey Parish Council, said he was astounded by the decision.

He said: "Council members made this decision on a lack of information and restricted planning measures."

He added: "There was no debate and most of the members seemed almost embarrassed and did not even ask any questions. It was a shambolic meeting."

The action group had argued that the plant will cause noise, severe traffic problems, pollution and would devalue homes.

Norton-Juxta-Kempsey Parish Council has offered £30,000 towards the legal costs of fighting the scheme.

Committee chairman Coun Nigel Knowles defended the council and the way the meeting was conducted.

"The main issue was to decide this application which we did in the proper way," he said.

The plant will take in 105,000 tonnes of materials, including paper, cardboard, plastics, cans and glass, per year, collected from households in the two counties.

Ian Barber, of Severn Waste Services, Mercia's sister company, said the site was appropriate for the development. The application was approved 10-1, with Coun Rob Adams being the only councillor to object.

A county council spokesman said the action group would need to go to the Local Government Ombudsman to seek a judicial review into the process leading up to the decision.

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