CAMPAIGNERS against plans for an incinerator in Newport lobbied councillors attending yesterday’s full council meeting.

Members of the Stop Newport and Monmouthshire Incinerator Campaign (SNIC) protested outside Newport civic centre yesterday where councillors were due to discuss the local development plan (LDP). The LDP provides the strategy and policy framework for the development and conservation of Newport for the next 15 years.

The debate over the plan was eventually postponed after some councillors raised concerns about not having received the relevant documents until Monday.

They said they needed more time to consider such a dense report.

A council spokeswoman said: “As this is such an important document it is vital that all members are fully informed before debating and approving it in council for public consultation.

“Following expressions from some members that they have not had time to fully digest the document, in the spirit of political openness and transparency, and given the importance of this document to the city of Newport and its residents, the administration has agreed to defer the item to the March council meeting.”

Councillors going into the meeting were handed a leaflet asking them to reject proposals for “a giant black bag waste incinerator”

at Llanwern on health, environmental and cost grounds, and vote against the Local Development Plan.

SNIC has submitted formal objections to the city council in response to Veolia’s “energy from waste facility” proposed for Llanwern.

Members have previously written to city councillors claiming that the case for rejection of the plans is “overwhelming” and have expressed concerns that no date has been set for the plan to be considered.

SNIC has listed 12 reasons to reject the plans. Members say the site is too close to the multi-million- pound 4,000-home Glan Llyn development, the site is on a flood plain. and is next to a valuable and sensitive wildlife area on the Gwent Levels and Severn Estuary.