HOPES were today rising that Basildon may be saved from a huge waste plant after Tories hinted at a change of heart.

Essex County council's Tory-led cabinet decided to lease the Courtauld Road site in September after favouring "option two" plans to create two anaerobic digestor and recycling plants - one in Courtauld Road for all south Essex's rubbish and another in Rivenhall, near Colchester, for north Essex waste.

They rejected option one, a single plant for the whole county at Sandon, near Chelmsford, and option three, three smaller plants taking less waste each including one in Basildon.

Now, ahead of two key meetings next week, it seems politicians are edging towards option one.

Published Thursday, December 1, 2005