A public inquiry will be held next year on controversial plans to build a biomass power plant in Bishop’s Castle. Opponents have welcomed the move.

They said they were delighted the issue would be thrashed out in public after district planners failed to reach a decision.

The Planning Inspectorate has announced the inquiry. 

Karen Bavastock, chairman of the Bishop’s Castle Group, which is against the plant, said: “This is fantastic news and we would like to thank everybody who has made this possible. 

“All the hundreds of individual letters of objection to South Shropshire District Council and the Planning Inspectorate, the funds donated to our group by individuals, companies, groups and the town council have made this possible.”

She thanked the town council for supporting the group’s request for a public inquiry, county and district councillors for their support.

The district council has suggested March 3 as a date for the inquiry but this is yet to be confirmed.

Plans for the £5 million wood-chip burning plant have been back and forth before district planners for months.

The development control committee failed to reach a decision on the application and passed it on to full council.

The full council failed to reach a decision and it looked as though it would go to a public inquiry.

Council officers then suggested it should be decided on the basis of written representations to the Planning Inspectorate.

But now the Planning Inspectorate has delighted campaigners by announcing there will be a full-scale public planning inquiry.