RESIDENTS have claimed a victory in a long-running fight to prevent a controversial food digestion plant being opened close to a Rossendale valley town, amid fears regarding ‘foul smells’ being generated by the operation.

Campaigners from RAWS (Ramsbottom Against the Waste Site) are jubilant after an appeal by Peel Environmental Services and Marshalls Mono Ltd, for Fletcher Bank Quarry, was rejected.

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Neighbours in Shuttleworth led the fight against the energy giant’s proposals, which were originally refused by a planning inspector following a public inquiry last April and May.

Dismissing the appeal Jean Nowak, on behalf of Communities Secretary Greg Clark, said significant weight could be given to the renewable energy benefits of the proposed plant, and only moderate weight given to the economic advantages.

But she added: “The harm to the green belt has not been clearly outweighed, and very special circumstances do not exist to justify allowing the inappropriate development.”

Dr Peter Jackson, a leading light of RAWS, said: “It became clear to us over the course of the past couple of years fighting these plans that there is something seriously wrong with the anaerobic digestion industry in this country in that every plant built and operated results in complaints by nearby residents of foul smells, odour and noise pollution.

“We simply could not allow that to happen here in Ramsbottom and we are so pleased that the Secretary of State agrees with us.”

Cllr Ian Bevan said: “In our opinion, neither Marshalls nor Peel demonstrated any circumstances during the planning inquiry that would outweigh the harm that would be caused to the green belt by an industrial plant being built at Fletcher Bank.”

Cllr Luise Fitzwalter said: “This is a significant and brilliant victory for Ramsbottom and for the council. The whole community came together and fought off this threat to our beautiful town.”

Another RAWS committee member, Colin Butterworth, said that Whalley Road and Manchester Road were already very busy, along with the traffic light junction at Bury New Road near Fletcher Bank.

Ramsbottom’s MP David Nuttall said: “I am delighted that the Government has backed up the views of local people.”

The applicant could still appeal against the decision to the High Court.