BURY North MP David Nuttall has asked for the controversial plan to build an anaerobic digestion waste plant in Ramsbottom to be decided by the Secretary of State.

The appeal comes ahead of a scheduled 11-day public inquiry which is due to begin at Bury Town Hall on March 10.

An independent inspector will oversee the proceedings and deliver a report to Bury Council.

Peel Environmental originally submitted the plans for the plant to be built at Fletcher Bank Quarry to create electricity by using food by-products. Renewable energy firm Tamar Energy was named as the company who would run the facility.

The proposals sparked opposition with residents forming the Ramsbottom Against Waste Site (RAWS) group to protest against the plans.

But in March last year, the application was unanimously rejected by councillors after a demonstration by around 200 people. But the applicants lodged an appeal.

This week, Ramsbottom councillor Ian Bevan said: "Mr Nuttall has been working closely with me and the action group RAWS on how we can most effectively stop the stop the construction of an anaerobic digestion (AD) waste plant."

"The proposal at Fletcher Bank is a substantial and complex application in a very sensitive location within land designated as green belt on the edge of Ramsbottom town centre. I recently welcomed the publication by the Conservative-led Government of its updated 'Planning Policy Guidance on Waste' which makes clear that companies looking to build anaerobic digestion facilities should first look for suitable sites and areas at brownfield locations and not on green belt land.”

Mr Nuttall said: "Having spoken to Councillor Bevan, we have decided to ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles MP, to determine the application himself, as opposed to it being left to the planning inspector.

“This move will not stop the public inquiry from going ahead, and I know many will wish to speak against the application. Given the seriousness of the implications for local residents in Ramsbottom, I am of the opinion that it warrants a decision being made by the Secretary of State himself.”

He added: “I accept that the Secretary of State may decide that it should be left to the planning inspector to decide the appeal. But in view of the importance of the application and the fact that there is new guidance in place I considered it worth asking for the appeal to be recovered by the Secretary of State.

"I intend to work closely with the local councillors and residents in Ramsbottom to ensure that this proposed AD waste plant does not go ahead."