Wheelabrator Technologies is abandoning its plans to build a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility in Hampshire, England.

The plan was heavily criticized by residents living in the two villages closest to the facility. Many raised concerns about the size of the incinerator and the harmful effects on the environment, according to the Hampshire Chronicle.

The WTE facility would have diverted up to 500,000 tonnes (550,000 tons) of residual household and business waste from landfill or export to continental Europe per year, and recovered renewable baseload energy from non-recyclable waste, sufficient to power more than 110,000 homes, Circular reports.

Both reports note that Wheelabrator’s vice president for business development made the following comment: “The UK waste-to-energy market is extremely buoyant with significant capacity gaps remaining in the residual waste management infrastructure. Wheelabrator is well-placed to address this capacity gap and provide sustainable waste management solutions with a number of live projects across the UK. Having undertaken a strategic review of the wide range of opportunities in our current pipeline, we have decided to focus our efforts on further advanced waste-to-energy projects, and as such, will no longer continue to invest in the development of the Wheelabrator Harewood waste-to-energy facility.”

Hampshire Chronicle has more:

THE company behind plans to build a waste-to-energy incinerator has announced it will “no longer proceed” with the project.

US firm Wheelabrator had proposed building the massive facility on land just north of the A303, near Barton Stacey.

The plans were met with widespread opposition, as campaigners branded the proposed facility a "monstrosity" and a "blight" on the Test Valley countryside.

Read more here.