DEFIANT waste bosses will appeal a decision to throw out their £500million incinerator plans.
The green pastures of Javelin Park at Haresfield will remain untouched – for now – after 18 county councillors unanimously rejected the plans for an industrial burner in a shock move on Thursday night.
But bosses at Urbaser Balfour Beatty (UBB) were quick to reveal their plans to appeal the decision.
It now means a Government planning inspector is likely to have the final say.
They will have to weigh up a swell of public opposition – 4,000 objections from residents and 15 parish councils – with the ultimate need to dispose of at least 150,000 tonnes of county waste each year.
Yesterday, lead campaigner Sue Oppenheimer, from anti-incinerator group Glosvain, said they had "won the battle, but not the war" in claiming victory.
A tense 11-hour meeting at Kingsholm stadium was packed with 200 campaigners. As the verdict was delivered, the room erupted with cheers and applause.
It was a decision which helped to seal the fate for one of Gloucestershire's most controversial planning applications in recent history.
Diana Shirley, spokeswoman for Gloucestershire Against Incinerators, said: "I just can't believe it. We thought we might win by one vote but not unanimously."
Many of the councillors are seeking re-election in May, sparking suggestions on Twitter that some voted 'no' to please the electorate.
Javier Peiro, project director for UBB, said: "We are disappointed that the committee did not support the plans.
"We are minded to appeal the decision and are currently seeking planning and legal opinions.
"We feel that the application was a strong one, sitting well within planning law and local policies that clearly identify a need for residual waste treatment in the county.
"Our priority now is to establish a clear way forward to support the county council in delivering an alternative to landfill."
The council's waste champion, Councillor Stan Waddington, launched an attack on his colleagues who turned down the plan.
He said: "The planning committee has made a decision based on concerns with the incinerator's prominence as a building.
"This is only one part of a detailed proposal, which has been supported by the full council on five separate occasions, where all 63 councillors have had the opportunity to have their say.
"In its refusal, the committee did not challenge the need for the facility, which will save us £190million.
"The council has invested a huge amount of time and effort over the past four years into this project."
Council bosses signed a contract with UBB months before permission was refused. Mr Waddington denied breaking the contract would cost taxpayers up to £15million. He said: "Claims there is some sort of penalty clause are simply untrue."
