RESIDENTS made it clear this week that they did not want Buckfastleigh to become known as a dumping ground for toxic waste.

Kathy Taylor told an extraordinary meeting of Buckfastleigh Town Council Highways and Planning Committee on Wednesday that proposals for a recycling plant for incinerating ash at Whitecleaves Quarry, was of no benefit to Buckfastleigh residents.

'I do not want Buckfastleigh getting a reputation for being a toxic dump,' she said, adding that the area had quite a big tourist industry and if the plan went ahead it would put people off coming to the town, while house prices would also fall.

The council called the meeting to hear residents' views on the plan by Gilpin Demolition to incinerate and recycle bottom ash which would be trucked from an energy from waste plant at North Yard, Devonport, for MVV Environment Ltd.

FULL STORY IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION