ANGER is mounting after council officers recommended plans for a major waste-to-energy power station be given the go-ahead.

People living nearby have been campaigning against Cyclamax's plans for the plant at the new Derby Commercial Park, off Raynesway.

They claim particles emitted from it would damage their health and want councillors to refuse permission on Thursday.

It comes after councillors refused permission for a similar plant in Sinfin in December.

Derby North MP Bob Laxton was "extremely disappointed" council officers recommended the scheme for approval.

He said: "My main concerns are about the emissions and the pollution from the plant.

"There are new European regulations coming in about the size of particles and I think to give planning permission to a plant of this nature, in advance of these regulations, is quite inappropriate.

"I would just hope that the councillors on Derby City Council overturn the recommendation. They did that with the domestic plant in Sinfin, I hope they are consistent with their approach when it comes to this similar industrial one."

His view was echoed by Simon Bacon, of Sinfin and Spondon Against Incinerators, who said: "It comes as no surprise, we expected them to support this because they supported the Sinfin plant.

"But we are hopeful that the councillors will act responsibly again, like they did last time."

The plant planned for Spondon would deal with 100,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste each year, recycling some and turning the rest into energy by a process called gasification.

The energy produced would be used to power the plant and other commercial and industrial units. Some would also be exported to the national grid. The plant would produce enough energy to supply 19,350 homes.

The scheme is designed to minimise the amount of waste going into landfill but people living in Spondon and Alvaston say they are concerned small particles emitted by the plant would affect their health and have sent more than 500 letters of objection to the council. They have also collected petitions.

The nearest houses are 450 metres away in Anglers Lane and Rovings Drive, Spondon.

But Alvaston ward councillor Alan Graves said he had been contacted by scores of Alvaston residents concerned about the plans.

He said: "Their main concern is health issues. A lot of my constituents live very close to the site on Raynesway.

"A lot of them are very concerned that this is being built on their doorstep."

Pete Ambler, creator of Spondon Against Cyclamax Incinerator, said he was "disgusted". He said: "Spondon already has high cancer and leukaemia rates – are they trying to wipe us out?

''It is all about wealth, not health."

Cyclamax admits the plant would emit small particles – known as PM2.5 because they have a diameter of less than 2.5 microns, or millionths of a metre – but says this would only be at a very small level.

In a report to councillors, city council officers said no extra deaths, emergency hospital admissions or GP consultations would be expected to arise in the area as a result of the emissions from the plant.

Officers said that it could potentially shorten people's lives by one hour but said this was compared to a loss of life of eight to nine months caused by current levels of exposure to PM2.5 in Derby.

No one was available for comment from Cyclamax.

Another firm, Resource Recovery Solutions, had hoped to build a similar plant in Sinfin Lane, Sinfin, for domestic waste. The company has a deal with the city council to treat all waste for the next 27 years.

Officers recommended approval, but councillors refused permission in the light of local opposition.