MP Andrew Murrison says he hopes action by councillors in Wiltshire will help kill off new incinerator plans across Britain.

Wiltshire Council politicians yesterday voted to withdraw their support from controversial proposals for a £200 million waste plant at Westbury.

The final say will still go to Levelling-Up Secretary Greg Clark after the firm behind the scheme lost patience over the time it was taking the authority to come to a decision and launched an appeal.

The council had initially backed the plan, but revisited its decision yesterday in the light of a government consultation exercise suggesting a significant reduction in the level of waste being sent to landfill and incineration.

South West Wiltshire MP Dr Murrison was one of the speakers at the meeting, where he urged councillors to abandon their support for the scheme.

He said: "The very welcome 2021 Environment Act should be accompanied by a moratorium on incinerators as I have called for repeatedly in the Commons. Draft environmental targets for consultation published by DEFRA in March will mean cutting waste sent for landfill and incineration. Well done Wiltshire Strategic Planning Committee for showing the way."

A planning inspector will now preside over a public inquiry in November, which will make recommendations to Mr Clark on whether the scheme should be allowed or not.

The latest decision has given new hope to town councillors in Westbury, who will meet next week to draw up their battle plans for the inquiry.