CHESHIRE County Council's chief planning officer said he expected an application to open a landfill in Mid Cheshire to be called in - but questioned whether local government was being stopped from making its own decisions.

Protesters including town, borough and county councillors and residents' groups were last week celebrating Secretary of State Ruth Kelly's decision to hold a public inquiry into the county's approval of the Kinderton Lodge landfill in Middlewich.

Chief planning officer Alan Thornley, one of the officers who advised the council's development regulatory committee to approve the landfill plans despite the objections of councillors and residents earlier this year, said: 'We aren't fazed by this call-in one way or the other. In fact, we expected this as it's a big decision.

'However, it does call into question whether or not the Government intends to stop local government from making planning decisions in future or would prefer to make them all itself.

'We will go to the inquiry with the information we have gathered and it's up to the Secretary of State how she responds to that.

'When the original decision was made by our members, it was made based on the information to hand, and we are confident that the same process will happen at the public inquiry.'

The investigation is expected to take place at the end of the year. All groups will have to submit their opinions and findings to the Government which will look into:

The plan's ability to deliver sustainable waste management including looking to disposal as the last option, recovering or disposing of waste without endangering human health and without harming the environment, and reflecting the concerns and interests of the community.

Whether the plans meet the waste management policies of the North West Regional Spatial Strategy which seeks to reduce the volume of waste sent to landfill, and to protect and enhance the character of the countryside.

The extent to which the proposed development accords with the emerging Cheshire Replacement Waste Local Plan, the Cheshire Structure Plan and the Vale Royal Local Plan.

How far the landfill would be consistent with Government policies with particular regard to the achievement of sustainable development through social cohesion, protection and enhancement of the environment and prudent use of natural resources.

Whether the design of the site and its wider context, including layout, scale, visual appearance and landscaping, is appropriate and improves the character and quality of the area.

Speaking about the decision to call it in, CW10 community group spokesman Andy Bailey said: 'I'm delighted for Middlewich, for the residents and that all the effort put in by the groups who opposed this site has not gone to waste.

'Now, we have to make sure we all come together again to oppose the application one last time.'