A DATE has been set for Stroud District Council’s (SDC) legal challenge against the government’s decision to allow a £500million incinerator to be built at Javelin Park.

SDC will contest former planning minister Eric Pickles’ decision at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on June 25.

In January Mr Pickles upheld Urbaser Balfour Beatty’s (UBB) appeal against Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) planning committee’s decision to reject the application for the waste burner in Haresfield.

UBB and GCC had signed a contract for the company to run the incinerator.

Plans for the burner have been met with fierce opposition from local residents, who fear the incinerator will cause health issues, among other complaints.

Campaign group GlosVAIN launched a petition against the burner which 7,600 people signed.

In February, GCC held an extraordinary meeting after the Labour group tabled a motion for the council to tear up the contract with UBB.

However, councillors voted 27 to 24 in favour of maintaining the deal with UBB.