Residents have won their battle to stop a new clinical waste incinerator being built just metres from a village school.

A planning inspector was due to consider the controversial proposal for the facility, earmarked for land on Hixon Industrial Estate, later this month.

Inwaste Hixon Ltd submitted an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate after Staffordshire County Council failed to make a decision on the application within the statutory period or agreed extended period – known as "non-determination".

It was decided to hold a public hearing on the application, due to the number of public objections.

Hundreds of people opposed the plans and a protest walk was held in Hixon last year.

Those who took part included MP Sir Gavin Williamson and local councillors.

Just weeks before the one-day hearing was scheduled to take place at Stafford's County Buildings however, it was cancelled.

In a letter to Staffordshire County Council, the Planning Inspectorate said the appellant had withdrawn the appeal.

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A letter from the appellant's planning agent to the Planning Inspectorate said: "This follows a very recent material change in circumstances, concerning the viability of/business case for the proposal and land availability.

"Our client has become that the owner of a previously constructed but previously never-operational clinical waste incinerator at Scotia Road Business Park, Tunstall, has now submitted an application to the Environment Agency to commission that plant with the aim of bringing it into operation at the earliest opportunity.

"This facility is now expected to process up to 16,000 tonnes per annum of clinical waste, accepting the same waste streams as our client's smaller proposed development.

"This new information introduces significant uncertainty regarding the availability to our client's proposed incinerator of feedstock/waste and, consequently, the robustness of the business case for our client's proposed development.

"As a result, the current owner of the appeal site, JBMI Ltd, who are also owners of the adjacent aluminium refinery to which importantly heat was proposed to be transferred from our client's proposed incinerator, have now withdrawn from the agreement to lease the appeal site to our clients, as they are entitled to do under the terms of the agreement which depends upon the demonstration of a robust business case.

"In light of this, the applicant feels that scheme is no longer feasible, and the applicant has instructed Sol Environment, as their planning agent, to withdraw the appeal with immediate effect."

The decision to withdraw the appeal was described this week as "very welcome news" by Stafford Borough and Hixon Parish councillor Brendan McKeown.

He added: "It is a great relief for the residents of Hixon, people who work in Hixon and visitors to the area.

"The proposed clinical waste incinerator facility would have been sited less than the length of a football pitch from St Peter's Primary School which has over two hundred pupils and dozens of members of staff.

"Clinical waste can contain all sorts of nasty material and has to be handled, transported, stored and treated with extreme care.

"It would have operated 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year treating nearly 10 tons a day.

"The possibility for things to wrong was significant.

"Fortunately, Staffordshire County Council planning officers shared the concerns of hundreds of Hixon residents and recommended the original planning application be refused.

"I really hope this is the last we hear of this proposal."

Sir Gavin said this week: "This is a fantastic victory for Hixon residents, and I am absolutely thrilled that this application has been withdrawn.

"I cannot emphasise how disastrous it would have been for the health and wellbeing of residents and the imposition this incinerator would cause.

"Campaigners brought forward a compelling argument and acted with good faith throughout the process, despite very real fears for their children and the area they are proud to call home.

"This goes to show the power of communities and how when working together, residents and organisations can make material benefits that will benefit future generations to come."