EIGHTY villagers braved an icy evening to visit a public meeting to discuss proposals for a £114 million green energy incinerator nearby.

Fears of smell, smog and more HGVs going to and from Buttington Quarry to feed the incinerator were discussed at the meeting held at the Buttington/Trewern Community Centre.

There were also concerns that the rural area could become more industrialised if other incinerators were also built following Broad Energy's.

And when the people were asked to give there opinion through a show of hands. They were unanimously against it.

The meeting was called by Trewern County Councillor, Amanda Jenner (Conservative),.

Cllr Jenner said: "One of the reasons  I called this meeting is because a lot of you will have read about what's happened in Abermule recently.

"Where there's been a big planning issue and the community didn't feel that they had been engaged in the process early on and they are obviously quite cross about that.

"One of the things I want to make sure that happens is that you guys are aware of everything that's going on before it happens."

Cllr Jenner added: "The consultation has not started, no decision has been made we are really just right at the beginning of the process.

"Broad Energy said they would launch their pre-application consultation in January."

"Usually a planning application would go in to Powys County Council, but this is regarded as a development of national significance which will go to the Welsh Planning Inspectorate.

"They are independent and will make a  recommendation to Welsh Government Ministers who will make the decision.

"It won't be Powys Councillors taking a decision, but the council's a statutory consultee."

Cllr Jenner added that construction work could start by 2020 and the Incinerator could be producing energy by 2022/23.

Villagers then expressed their concerns.

Ruth Harris worried that the development would create smog over the village which could affect the health of people living there, especially children.

Mike Pillow said: "I work close to the one in Shrewsbury, the noise is phenomenal.

"It was built by French workers, there were no jobs for local people and you can smell the refuse frequently, especially in the summer.

"Depending on the wind direction you won't be able to open your windows in summer. Refuse will fall on roads, it will have a massive impact on the quality of life here."

John Davies said: "It's a good project but in the wrong place, if it's getting rubbish from the whole of Powys it should be in the middle, will stuff be coming from over the border?"

Gill Corfield, chairman of Trewern Community Council, said that they could hold an extraordinary meeting on January 17 if Broad Energy goes ahead with their pre-application consultation.

Following the meeting, Broad Energy Group chief executive Alistair Hilditch-Brown, who was at the meeting but did not speak, said: "It was good to be able to listen to the views being given and I will take them back to the team."

Developers, Broad Energy, claim the incinerator, earmarked for Buttington Quarry, could power more than 20,000 homes and create 35 permanent jobs.

The fuel would be made up mainly of residual waste from industrial and commercial sources in Powys and neighbouring counties.

The Plans when submitted will go in front of a planning Inspector due to the size of the incinerator being planned.

It is supposed to be 11.5MW (MegaWatts) and  anything over 10MW is categorised as a development of infrastructure of national significance.