MINISTERS have been urged to intervene and get plans for a waste incinerator on the edge of Plymouth thrown out.

The call was made by Tory MP for South West Devon Gary Streeter, who questioned the siting in his constituency of an 'energy from waste' plant "in an attractive rural area, clogging up local roads".

But Local Government Minister Ian Austin refused to be drawn into the row over the Lee Mill scheme, insisting it was for waste planning authorities to identify locations for refuse facilities.

There are now two waste firms, offering three possible sites, in the running to build a waste incinerator for Plymouth. These have been narrowed down from nine initial expressions of interest.

Viridor is focusing on its own site at New England Quarry near Lee Mill. The company has said that it will build there regardless of the outcome of the bidding, and is expected to put in a planning application very soon.

The German waste company MVV Umwelt has proposed incinerators in Ernesettle and Devonport Naval Base's North Yard.

The contract will be awarded at the end of this year.

Earlier this month, SITA UK dropped out of the bidding for the £100 million project.

It had proposed an 'energy from waste' plant at Devonport's South Yard.

Raising his opposition to the Lee Mill scheme in the Commons, Mr Streeter said: "Does the department's guidance suggest that it is sensible to place a large energy-from-waste plant in an attractive rural area, clogging up local roads and causing all kinds of highway issues? If not, will the Minister encourage Devon county council to throw out the Viridor scheme for Lee Mill in my constituency?"

But Mr Austin said: "The guidance shows that waste planning authorities should identify suitable locations for waste facilities in their local plans, and in doing so take into account our planning policies for waste."