A WASTE company has dropped controversial plans to build a rubbish tip in Weardale.

Premier Waste Management, working for Durham Country Council, had planned to site rubbish skips for recyclable waste next to a riverside caravan park.

The company identified the site, only yards from the Oakleaf Caravan Park, in Wolsingham, as a replacement for its waste dump at Browns Houses, Frosterley, which is closing.

The former coal yard site, accessed by a narrow bridge, was due to be rented from a haulage contractor.

Residents had complained that the site was too close to Wolsingham town centre and would be unsightly as well as creating increased traffic.

Robsons of Wolsingham, which owns the caravan site, said that its business would be affected by the new depot, as people would not want to stay so near a rubbish tip. Many families from the site signed a petition objecting to the proposal.

There were fears that a lack of visitors to the caravan site would affect trade in the village.

Following opposition to the plans, the waste company, which did not register a formal planning application for the site, has decided to look elsewhere.

Premier's director of regulatory affairs, Ashley Cooper, said: "We have reviewed the feasibility of the Wolsingham site near the Oakleaf caravan park in the light of comments by local people and the parish council, and have decided to look elsewhere for a suitable site.

"With the imminent closure of the existing civic amenity site at Browns Houses near Frosterly, it is important that we quickly find a new location for the people of Weardale to bring their recyclable waste, otherwise the area could see a dramatic rise in fly tipping with the environment suffering as a result."

Previously, the company had invited members of the community to suggest possible sites for the facility. It said it was looking at 12 other sites in addition to the one in Wolsingham.

The new facility will be used by householders around Weardale to dump rubbish which is not collected from their homes.