A controversial scheme for a landfill site in Denholme could be delayed by at least 18 months after the developer withdrew its application for a special licence.

Waste Recycling Group (WRG) has withdrawn its original application for an operator's licence for a waste tip at Buck Park Quarry following concerns from the Environment Agency.

Denholme Residents' Action Group (DRAG) - which is fighting the landfill site plan - has been told by the Leeds-based Environment Agency that it will be at least 18 months before WRG can make a fresh application for an operating licence.

The Environment Agency is responsible for issuing the operator's licence, which must be obtained by WRG before it can begin tipping at the site.

Waste Recycling Group, which took over original applicants Integrated Waste Management last summer, applied for an operator's licence under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control directive (IPPC) in January.

It wants to dump 200,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste at Buck Park over a ten-year period.

After the application had been lodged, the Environment Agency drew up a 40-page document, called a Schedule 4, outlining its concerns about a number of environmental aspects.

Speaking at this week's Denholme Town Council meeting, Sharon Makinson, of DRAG, said: "The Environment Agency had concerns over the content of that application and drew up a Schedule 4 document.

"We have learnt that WRG withdrew its application after they realised the scale of the document, which is good news for us.

"They have now got to go back to the drawing board and submit a fresh IPPC permit, and the application will have to go through all the same hoops."

Mrs Makinson also confirmed that villager Maureen Smith had won the right to appeal against a decision made in the High Court granting WRG planning permission for the waste site.

Paul Tomes, managing director of WRG in Yorkshire, said: "There are a number of areas that require more information and need addressing so we thought it would be better to formally withdraw our application, take it away and look at it again.

"When the work was first started with the application it changed from being a waste management licence to an IPPC licence and some of the guidelines have a slightly different emphasis, so it is easier to take it back when there is more clarification.

"We have to look at some areas in more detail, but it is too early to say when we will resubmit it."

A spokesman for the Environment Agency confirmed that the application had been withdrawn.