Joy after recycling plan dropped

Local people have welcomed the plans withdrawal

People opposed to a planned recycling park in Rhuddlan have held a celebration march following the withdrawal of the scheme.

The withdrawal came as the Environment Agency added its voice to the objections.

The agency had asked the council to design the new site so it could deal with a "one in a thousand year" flood.

But Denbighshire Council said the cost was starting to outweigh the benefits of the location.

The proposed site, near Rhuddlan Castle, had attracted considerable opposition from local residents.

The plans had put the unit about 600m (1,960ft) from the castle on the A525.

The council said it would not be submitting any further planning applications for the site, and that it would be restored to its former condition.

Celebration march

There had been a planned protest against the plans by people opposing the scheme on Sunday which was changed after it was withdrawn earlier this week.

Instead of a protest march on the site, a celebration march by people living near the site was held.

Mandy Briscoe secretary of the Environment Group which opposed the plans said nearly 250 people turned up at the event on Sunday.

"We weren't expecting many people to come because of the announcement by Denbighshire Council that the scheme wasn't going ahead," she said.

"But we had about 250 people in the end.

"We had people tooting their horns in support.

"It was wonderful," she added.

The group is hoping that the site could now be developed as an area of wildlife.

"There's a lovely hotel going up and it would be lovely for people to come out of there and take a walk in a lovely wildlife area and take a look around," she said.

The group wants to start a petition about its plans.