Despite controversy a consortium has said that it remains committed to developing an energy-from-waste plant in County Antrim.

Rose Energy, which is jointly owned by Moy Park and Glenfarm Holdings and promoted by O'Kane Poultry, has gone public this week to confirm they will stand by their chicken waste-burning power plant at a site near Glenavy.

The move comes after residents opposed to the scheme welcomed a letter from the Department of Environment confirming that the proposed development was never approved under the previous DOE Minister Edwin Poots.

Last night Communities Against the Lough Neagh Incinerator (Calni) welcomed confirmation that the Rose Energy planning application had never been formally approved.

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Calni chairman Ray Clarke told the Irish Times it was a "significant milestone" in the group's ongoing campaign of opposition and reiterated the call for a public inquiry.

In August 2010 the Planning Service announced its intention to approve Rose Energy’s planning application to build a biomass power station in Co. Antrim that will account for a third of Northern Ireland's non-wind renewable energy obligations.

The company is still waiting for full approval of the planning application.

Farming Life have explained that Rose Energy will harness energy from local sources of biomass – namely poultry litter and meat and bone meal to produce enough electricity to power 30,000 homes.

This is a process that has already been tested by Europe and the UK.

A Rose Energy spokesman said: "This scheme marks an important step forward for Northern Ireland in terms of protecting the environment by preventing the addition of unnecessary levels of nitrates and phosphates to the waterways of the region."

(LB/CD)