PROTESTERS who have spent several months vigorously fighting plans for an animal carcass incinerator in Astwood Bank will have to begin their campaign from scratch following a shock announcement.
The row over controversial plans for an incinerator near of Astwood Bank First School took a dramatic turn last week when the application for a licence to operate it was withdrawn.
Bosses at operators Popes Lane By-Products Ltd pulled their application just three months before a public inquiry was due to take place at Redditch Town Hall.
Original plans for the 24-hour burner were turned down by Redditch councillors in December but Popes Lane By-Products appealed to the Secretary of State, prompting the inquiry.
And two weeks ago, the Advertiser revealed that when the application was first submitted last summer, it should have actually been dealt with by the Environment Agency and not the council.
Astwood Bank Against Incinerator (ABAI) campaign group spokeswoman Karen Cottam said the news about the licence application had been met with mixed feelings.
Martyn Wharmby, of Popes Lane By-Products, confirmed on Thursday they had withdrawn the appeal.
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