Sutton Courtenay energy plant plans withdrawn
Plans for a renewable power plant in Oxfordshire have been withdrawn, after planners recommended they are rejected.
Developer FCC Environment proposed building a facility to turn vegetation into electricity on land at Sutton Courtenay landfill site.
A planners' report by Vale of the White Horse District Council concluded the plant would have "no wider benefit to the local community".
The company withdrew its application while "further work is done".
A spokesman said FCC intended to resubmit the application at a future date.
A decision on the application had been due at a council planning meeting later.
The anaerobic digester would have used 10,000 tonnes of locally-grown maize to produce methane gas to convert into electricity.
The developer said it could produce 0.5MW of electricity a year, which would be enough to serve the site.
Planners said the economic benefit would be "fairly minor" and the industrial plant and machinery would have a "harmful impact on the open character and appearance" of the rural area.
They said there would be an increase in traffic and growing maize for power the plant would lead to a mono-culture in the local environment.