A PUBLIC inquiry will be held to determine whether a £120 million incinerator can be built in Worcestershire.

News that the Government has called in the controversial plan to build an energy-from-waste facility at Hartlebury Trading Estate, Hartlebury, near Stourport-on-Severn, for more scrutiny has been welcomed.

It is not yet known when the public inquiry will take place, or how long it will take, but Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff, a Conservative defence minister who is against the proposals, described it as a ”sensible decision”.

“The Secretary of State’s verdict shows there are compelling arguments against the facility,” he said.

“After their long campaign I am delighted that local people will be listened to.”

As reported in your Worcester News, Worcestershire County Council’s planning committee unanimously approved Mercia Waste Management’s plans at the beginning of March.

But the Department of Communities and Local Government has written to the council explaining that the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, has decided to call the decision in.

In a letter from Bob Neill, Planning Minister, he said applications should, in general, be decided by local authorities but added: “The Secretary of State has indicated in this case that there are occasions when it is right for him to decide the issue following a public inquiry.

“He considers that the proposals may conflict with national policies of important matters.”

Mercia’s co-director John Plant accepted Mr Pickles’ decision but said there was support for the application, both from councillors and residents alike, although protest group Worcestershire Residents Against Incineration and Landfill (WAIL) campaigned vociferously against the plans.

Mr Plant said: “We will provide whatever evidence the Secretary of State needs in order to ensure he has sufficient information to make a decision. We hope that Mr Pickles will ultimately support the locally elected councillors in their decision to effectively approve the planning application.”

Diane Tilley, the county council’s director of planning, economy and performance, said: “We explored the application in extensive detail, consulted effectively with all interested parties and the Secretary of State was given the option of reviewing the decision as a matter of course.

“We await further details of the Secretary of State’s timetable for the public local inquiry and will consider how to proceed in the best interests of Worcestershire’s communities when we have more information.”

If it gets the go-ahead the EnviRecover plant, which would take about three years to build, would treat up to 200,000 tonnes a year and would provide potential heat offtake for use by local businesses. It would also provide about 30 permanent jobs.