A CONTROVERSIAL scheme to build a new Romsey area household waste recycling centre on the town's outskirts has been binned.

Hampshire County Council leader, Ken Thornber, ditched the idea following consultation with other cabinet members and widespread opposition from residents and councillors in the area around the proposed site at Luzborough's Highwood Lane.

After making his decision at Wednesday's policy and resources meeting, Mr Thornber said: "We had many letters from people in Romsey and the town and parish councils, arguing the case against the Luzborough site, and I am sure this news will feel like and early Christmas present for them."

Opponents to the scheme were concerned about possible traffic movements, in particular on Halterworth Lane and the impact on routes to three local schools.

County environment bosses had said the present site at Timsbury was inadequate and agreed the proposed Luzborough site was the best option for a replacement Now, officers have to go back to the drawing board and look at upgrading the present Timsbury site.

Romsey's Tory parliamentary candidate Caroline Nokes - who delivered questionnaires to households in the Halterworth and Whitenap areas canvassing people's views on the plans - said she was delighted the scheme had been dumped.

"This is very good news for the residents in close proximity to the Luzborough depot and indeed for the children accessing the three schools close by. I would like to thank Ken Thornber for taking his decision but also all those residents who responded to the survey I sent round at the beginning of September and who responded directly to the county council. Common sense has prevailed and I am pleased that an additional burden is not going to be put on an already busy road network," said Mrs Nokes, who received 140 letters objecting to the plan.

Councillor Nokes said she was pleased funds will be used to upgrade the Casbrook Common site at Timsbury to make it more accessible. She pointed out that it was away from residential properties and did not cause the level of nuisance that local residents suspected the Luzborough depot would.

Hampshire's Romsey division member Mark Cooper had also canvassed local opinion on the site and lobbied the county to rethink the plan.

"I look forward to action to improve the site at Bunny Lane. A large part of the activity at the current site is the seasonal flow of garden waste and we need to find a way of dealing with this particular issue more effectively," said Mr Cooper.