AFTER years of campaigning, and protests, the worst fears of residents who rallied against a waste plant being built in their village have been realised.

Permission has been granted for a massive waste management centre – a so-called mechanical biological treatment plant – at Rivenhall Airfield.

The result of a public inquiry into the scheme was announced yesterday.

James Abbott, a Green Party Braintree district councillor for Bradwell, Silver End and Rivenhall, spearheaded a campaign against the proposal.

He said: “It’s extremely disappointing.

“Clearly the Secretary of State lives nowhere near the site, as he agrees with the report, which says the application would have no impact on the free flow of traffic.

“Everyone knows traffic doesn’t flow freely on the A120 at the moment without this.”

Essex County Council approved the application for the combined heat and power plant, on a 62.5-acre site in Sheepcotes Lane, Rivenhall, on April 24 last year.

The planning application, which was originally submitted in August 2008, was called in for a public inquiry in May by the then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears.

The application, from Gent Fairhead and Co, is for an integrated waste management facility and a host of other buildings.

At the two-week inquiry, Golder Associates, planning agents for Gent Fairhead, said the facility would be state of the art and the main building would be lowered into the ground to help reduce “nuisance emissions”.

Campaigners against the proposal consistently argued the plan was not suitable and too big for its rural location.

It was claimed recycling levels in Essex, and the Braintree district in particular, were increasing and the facility would be paid to deal with waste from across the region to make it viable.

Chris Papworth, chairman of the Kelvedon and Feering Heritage Society, said: “We always knew victory was unlikely, but we still had to attempt to bring some common sense.

“It’s disappointing, particularly if the A12 or A120 are blocked.

“Lorries are not supposed to use roads around the villages, but if the roads are blocked, as they often are throughout the year, where else will they go?”