Waste incinerator can be built, High Court rules

The incinerator would be built on land at Javelin Park on the M5 near Gloucester

A £500m waste incinerator looks set to be built near Gloucester after a High Court bid to stop it failed.

Plans for the incinerator at Javelin Park were approved by the secretary of state, following a public inquiry.

But Stroud District Council had hoped to persuade the High Court the planning inspector had "made errors".

Council leader Geoff Wheeler said he was disappointed but still hoped to persuade the county council to use alternative means of waste disposal.

"The argument was quite technical, with the court ultimately concluding that it was legitimate for the secretary of state to interpret the waste plan for Gloucestershire as he did," he said.

"Just because it has planning permission, it doesn't mean that it has to be built."

However Gloucestershire County Council, whose responsibility it is to dispose of "black bag" waste, welcomed the High Court ruling.

Councillor Ray Theodoulou said it was "good news" and would take Gloucestershire "a huge step closer" to meeting its recycling targets and stop burying waste in the ground.

Objectors have said they are unhappy at the incinerator's size, location, cost, environmental impact and potential health implications while supporters have argued it is needed to deal with the thousands of tonnes of household waste generated in the county each year.

Plans for the incinerator, just off the M5 at junction 12, were rejected by Gloucestershire county councillors in 2013 - despite having the backing of the council's waste disposal arm. It had already signed a contract with Urbaser Balfour Beatty to build the plant.

Then-Communities Secretary Eric Pickles overruled that decision in January 2015 following a public inquiry.

Javier Peiro, from Urbaser Balfour Beatty, said the firm was "delighted" with Friday's High Court decision. He said 300 construction jobs would be created and the incinerator would employ about 40 people.