THE decision on the fate of a controversial recycling plant which could be built in Ramsbottom is now out of the hands of the council, a meeting was told.

An independent inspector will judge the plans, after developers Marshalls and Peel Environmental lodged an appeal against the unanimous decision of Bury Council’s planning committee to refuse their application.

Speaking at last week’s full council meeting, Coun Sandra Walmsley, cabinet member for resource and regulation, said she was ‘disappointed’ after hearing of the appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

The appeal has triggered a public inquiry which could be held in spring next year. Coun Walmsley said: “Because the appeal has been launched with the Secretary of State, it will now boil down to the decision of the government’s independent inspector.

“The council’s planning committee expressed its democratic right in unanimously rejecting the plans for the anaerobic digestion (AD) site.

“The community in Ramsbottom also vocif-erously voiced its opposition. But in terms of the actual appeal, the decision is out of the council’s democratic hands.”

The plant, which would be based next to the existing Marshalls plant in Fletcher Bank Quarry, would convert food by-products into electricity, to provide the firm’s energy needs.

However, residents set up a campaign group, Rams-bottom Against Waste Site (RAWS), and say the plant would create bad smells, extra traffic and noise.

After lodging the appeal, Kieran Tames, development surveyor at Peel Environmental, said: “To address concerns about impacts on local amenities, the proposals include strict odour control measures, which would be closely monitored by the Environment Agency.”