An independent investigation review should be held to look at the city's options for the proposed energy from waste plant, says Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth City Council.

He is calling for independent legal advice to see if there is any avenue the Council can take to stop the plant from being built in North Yard, Devonport.

Councillor Evans has put forward a motion to the Council which asks for "independent legal advice on the implications of the Council terminating the current contractual arrangements and revoking the current planning consent and for this advice to be considered by Cabinet and the Planning Committee respectively as a matter of urgency".

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He said: "I promised the people of Plymouth that I would try my best to stop the incinerator from being built in this location and this is what I plan to do. I campaigned heavily in the election to stop this and now we are in power we will leave no stone unturned! While I am not against incineration as a way to deal with rubbish that can't be recycled, I have always objected to the location."

Ward Councillor for St Budeaux, Danny Damarell added: "On the run up to the local elections this was one of the issues people felt most strongly about and we would be failing our residents if we just ignored their concerns about having such a plant literally on their doorstep. It is 70 metres away from people's homes. It's right next to a housing estate and that's just not acceptable."

If approved, the motion would pave the way for independent legal advisors with planning and contract law experience to look at the contract surrounding the plant. He said: "It's 3,600 pages long and a complete weave of contractual arrangements between partner authorities and the company. As far as we can make out, the contract is about procuring a plant not where it is built – but this is why we need clear, independent legal advice about our options."

(CD)