A proposed waste transfer station in Well End would devastate the area warn residents as the plan is passed to the county council for a decision in November.

Outraged residents who hoped they had seen the back of the plan when it was withdrawn in July, packed into Hertsmere's Civic Offices last week to hear councillors discuss an almost identical proposal.

In a passionate statement, Graham Rabin representing the Residents Against Waste Transfer Site (RAWTS) campaign group, said: "If approved, the application would have an irreversible catastrophic effect on the lives of residents," and told councillors: "You should reject this ill conceived application in its entirety once and for all."

As in previous discussions, the borough council's regulatory committee spoke of their united opposition to the plan and recommended that the county council scrap the proposal in November.

Councillor Rodney Saunders said: "The site is in the Green Belt. To turn it into an industrial estate would be an outrage which would have an undue impact on the residential amenity and would adversely affect people's health and safety."

After the meeting RAWTS chairman John Mullholland said: "While we were delighted with the decision made by local councillors, we fully realise this is only a stepping stone. We now have to rally hard so that this decision is mirrored at county level on November 2."

Protester Bob Atkinson said: "My feeling is one of suspicion. I am suspicious because the plan was withdrawn the day before the county's committee meeting and then reinstated within a few weeks with such minor changes. Mr Cripps [the applicant] has totally ignored the traffic surveys and the Highways Authority who have said the area is unsuitable."

In the resubmitted plan, developer Peter Cripps offered to put money towards building a mini roundabout at the junction of Well End Road and Potters Lane to calm traffic, and said that lorries would turn right out of the site to access the A1 along Rowley Lane.

He also claimed that under planning guidelines, 'very special circumstances' apply to his application, suggesting there is both a need for this sort of amenity in Hertsmere, and that his extensive search for an alternative site had been unsuccessful.

Mr Cripps said this week that he has been looking for over two years for a suitable site and has found no alternative.

He said: "If my application fails at county level I can do only one thing, appeal, otherwise I might as well pack up. I am not trying to upset people. I am trying to run a business."

He added: "The Government targets for more and more recycling, at the end of the day it's the council's fault as they have not provided a designated space for us."