An almighty show of people power may be on its way to ruling out new waste sites for Essex.

Essex County Council could be set to pull the plug on current plans for eight major waste sites after coming under fire from thousands of outraged residents across the county.

Colchester councillors, who have been at the forefront of opposition against the Essex Waste Plan, hailed recent developments as a "victory for democracy".

County representatives on a joint waste management group have put forward an alternative scheme which focuses upon greater recycling. This is being widely welcomed as a way of removing the need for waste sites which could include incinerators.

One of the centres had been earmarked for Stanway with another at Old Heath.

Borough councillors will take back the proposals to their own authorities as Essex County Council's Environmental Service Board prepares to discuss them next month.

Last night's meeting of the borough's planning and transportation committee heard county representatives unveiled the package at the joint county and district working party on Monday.

The proposals include implementing an initial 40 per cent level of recycling and composting across the county. This would rise to 60 per cent by the year 2007.

They will also look at the most effective ways at dealing with the recycled waste.

Michael Crouch, director of environmental services for Colchester Council, said the proposals would mean changes to the current plan which could include the demise of the major waste sites.

The consortium of 11 district and borough councils is set to study the proposals in detail.

Chairman of Colchester's planning and transportation committee Terry Sutton (Lib Dem, Berechurch) said: "They are now seriously considering our viewpoint. They could have and should have done this more than a year ago."

Keith Davis (Lib Dem, Stanway) said: "Hopefully this is the demise of the eight major waste sites. I think we have to assume that."

And John Jowers (Con, West Mersea) said: "It is our pressure and the pressure from the boroughs which has brought this about. This is the way that democracy should work."

Members of the consortium are to brief Essex MPs on the situation today.

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