CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans for a waste dump in Mid Cheshire are hoping planning chiefs will take heed of a directive from Europe which places landfilling bottom of a list of solutions.

The policy was announced by the EU just days a week after a public inquiry into a proposed £25m landfill at Kinderton Lodge, Middlewich, ended, but opponents hope the inspector will take it into account when coming to his decision.

The waste treatment 'hierarchy', drafted by English MEP Caroline Jackson, lists the EU's five recognised waste management methods which has to be adhered to by 2012.

She said: 'We have voted to establish for the first time in EU waste law that there should be a five-step hierarchy in the way we deal with waste. This gives priority to the prevention, re-use and recycling of waste. After that comes the treat-ment of waste in incinerators with energy recovery, and finally landfill.'

Middlewich town clerk Jonathan Williams said: 'It's ironic that a new hierarchy ranking landfill as the last possible option for waste management should come out so soon after the inquiry ended, but we just hope it will be noted.

'This was the thrust of our argument from day one. In this day and age it is ridiculous that Cheshire County Council just went ahead with this without looking at the other options.'

A county council spokeswoman said: 'We welcome this policy, which reflects Cheshire's waste strategy. But this has not yet been introduced in the UK and will need more consultation before it is.'