CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a £1.4bn waste incinerator were approved by councillors yesterday under the watchful eyes of police.

Extra security measures were in place for the meeting of North Yorkshire County Council, after threatening letters were sent to councillors, and in anticipation of the large turnout of protestors.

Police stood outside County Hall, Northallerton, while council security staff stood in the council chamber.

About 90 members of North Yorkshire Waste Action Group chanted and waved signs outside, led by chairman Steve Wright.

They hoped to persuade councillors to vote against awarding a 25-year contract to Spanish company AmeyCespa to build and run a waste disposal plant.

The facility, which would involve recycling and incinerating waste, is planned for Allerton Park, Knaresborough, and is estimated to cost £1.4bn.

The council say the contract would save £320m and allow it to know what it would be paying for waste disposal for years to come.

Protestors say 25 years is too long and the proposal is based on assumptions about the future.

They fear the incinerator would pose a health risk and say there are better alternatives.

Yesterday’s proceedings were relayed through loudspeakers for those who could not get into the chamber.

Mr Wright presented his petitions, carrying nearly 10,000 signatures, and 12 protestors addressed the meeting.

They described the incinerator plan as a massive white elephant for North Yorkshire council taxpayers and said it would be a financial disaster.

One speaker, Dave Taylor, accused the councillors of taking a leap into the dark and flinging £1.4bn of taxpayers’ money into the hands of AmeyCespa without considering other options.

But Clare Wood, executive member for waste services, said there was no viable longterm alternative.

She said: “This contract will represent potentially the biggest financial commitment the council has ever made. It’s not a decision any of us will take lightly and we don’t do it because we want to, we do it because we need to.

“We have the unfortunate obligation to consider this in our term of office. It has been suggested that our constituents will never forgive us if we vote to award the contract.

I believe they will never forgive us if we do not reach a just decision for the good of all.”

The scheme was passed with 49 members in favour, 19 against and one, Councillor Elizabeth Casling, abstaining.

AmeyCespa will now submit a planning application and apply for an operating permit from the Environment Agency.

If successful, the plant could be operational in 2014.