A DEAL is likely to be struck with village residents and business people who have campaigned against the building of a waste transfer site on their doorstep.

It is hoped that the hundreds of people who wrote letters of complaint over plans to build the station at Brompton-on-Swale will lay down their pens and support Yorwaste's most recent application.

Faced with fierce objection over its previous proposals for similar facilities at Scorton and Brompton-on-Swale, Yorwaste is now seeking planning consent to site the temporary station at Tancred Quarry, near Scorton.

The Northallerton-based firm says if its application to North Yorkshire County Council is successful, it will fully withdraw the earlier proposals.

Local people have received letters from Yorwaste managing director Steve Grieve explaining the new application.

He wrote: "We have re-evaluated our options and have discussed these at length with the county's planning authority and other consultees, and have listened carefully to the case made by local residents and businesses.

"It is not the company's intention to cause anxiety and concern amongst its neighbours.

"We hope the application will receive the unequivocal support of local people and businesses and look forward to the application being favourably considered by the planning authority."

The waste transfer site will be used temporarily, until the integrated waste management site also at Tancred - for which Yorwaste has already received planning approval - is ready in 2005.

Businessman Mike Harris was one of many who objected to earlier proposals to create the site at the old potato store in Bridge Road, Brompton-on-Swale.

He believes the new facilities will be much more acceptable to residents and businesses.

"At least the site will not be directly on people's doorstep," he said. "We accept and support the fact Yorwaste has a job to do - but we also have businesses to run and homes to live in. Tancred Quarry seems to be the best place for the site as it has already been earmarked as a landfill site in the future by Yorwaste."