VILLAGERS are likely to win their fight for a planned landfill electricity generating compound to be re-sited.

Yorwaste Limited wants to carry out the development at the Cauklands landfill site, on the edge of Thornton-le-Dale.

However, the original application was opposed by many residents who feared noise and smell emissions would make their lives a misery.

Now the residents have told the North York Moors National Park authority that they no longer oppose the scheme, after revamped plans which would site it further away from their homes,.

However, they want every effort taken to reduce noise and smell.

Chief planning officer Val Dilcock said in a report to the park's planning committee, which will meet on Thursday, that within the restored areas of the landfill tip there was a network of pipes collecting landfill gases, mainly meth-ane, carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

Yorwaste said that at present the gases were burnt, with combustion products vented into the atmosphere by a flare on the site.

The application is for a gas-powered electricity generating compound and flare in the north-east corner. The landfill gases would then be used to generate electricity for the national grid.