PLANS for an £80 million waste plant have been refused planning permission after residents won a 'David and Goliath' battle with a development giant.

Peel Environmental is part of the Peel Group - behind schemes including the Trafford Centre, Doncaster Airport and the new home of the BBC MediaCityUK at Salford.

It intended to build a renewable energy park to generate enough electricity for 55,000 homes using up to 60,000 tonnes of food waste and 150,000 tonnes of waste timber, at the former Houghton Colliery site off Park Spring Road.

** The full story is in the Barnsley Chronicle, dated November 21. **