Waste campaigners are calling on the residents of Braintree and the surrounding areas, to continue their support in objecting the planned waste site at Rivenhall Airfield.

Braintree District Council's Waste Panel has opposed the Essex and Southend Waste Plan since it was put forward about a year and a half ago, identifying Rivenhall as one place for a "strategic waste site."

The policies of the plan have recently been modified by the county council, but David Mann, chairman of the waste panel, said the changes have not met the original objections, so people need to keep up their campaign.

"Objections were sent originally and people still need to write, otherwise it may appear that the minor changes meet with public approval.

"Parish councils, individuals and community groups need to keep up the opposition. So far the support has been wonderful," he said.

Peter Tattersley, head of environmental services at Braintree District Council, said: "Our main concern is that we don't actually know what the plans are for the site, as Essex County Council and Southend Borough Council will not tell us what the plan sets out.

"Is it just for Braintree, or are we going to be used by a lot more of Essex, causing terrible traffic problems, with lorries trundling past all the time? Are they going to build an incinerator, which we definitely don't want in Rivenhall?"

He added: "Also, we are worried that people are going to become less environmentally active because of the site. Basically, people have just got to keep on writing letters and campaigning against it, at least until we know for sure what they plan to do with it."

The proposed changes to the Waste Local Plan can be seen at the County Hall in Chelmsford and at district and borough councils until August 31.

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