Waste giant Viridor has once again asked Devon County Council to defer the planning application decision for a 275,000 tonne a year incinerator and 970,000 tonne landfill at New England Quarry, Lee Mill.

The application was due to be determined by county councillors on April 25, but county planning officers have agreed to delay the decision until further notice.

Viridor previously withdrew their planning application which was set to be assessed by the county on July 20 last year.

The application was recommended to be rejected by officers at the time. Following the latest withdrawal of the application, Viridor informed the council they are in discussions over an alternative access route and want to wait for the outcome of the MVV Umwelt Plymouth and Sita St Dennis incinerator plans.

In a letter sent to Mr D Black, head of planning at the county council from Ian John, head of planning, at Viridor it said: 'I understand from discussions with your colleagues that it is currently the intention to report the application to planning committee for a decision in April.

'However, there are a number of unresolved issues that have the potential to impact on the consideration of this application.

'These include the source of waste that will be processed by the plant and the potential for an alternative access to the facility.

'As you may be aware, the Court of Appeal decision on the Sita's proposed energy from waste facility in Cornwall remains outstanding and the indications are that MVV's proposed facility in Plymouth is also about to be the subject of Judicial Review.

'These decisions have the potential to have significant implications for the source of waste that could be processed by the New England facility and hence the way in which the planning application is considered.

'Furthermore Viridor is in detailed discussions over an alternative access into the site which would address a number of concerns expressed over the impact of the current role.

'I am therefore writing to you to request that the application be held in abeyance until there is further clarity in respect of the issues detailed above.'

A spokesman from local campaign group EcoIvy said: 'Local campaigners would like the New England Quarry incinerator application judged on its own merits and do not want it to be viewed by Devon County Council as a plan B if the MVV Umwelt incinerator in Plymouth does not go ahead.

'They also worry that Devon County Council keeps delaying a decision it should have taken a year ago to reject the planning permission.

'Most importantly, they also believe that by asking for a delay to find out what happens at Plymouth and Cornwall, this shows that Viridor has no local waste to input into their incinerator and may be planning to import waste from outside Devon.'