A controversial planning application on the Chiltern’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has moved a step closer to reality despite being branded as “disgracefully rigged” by a district councillor.

Proposals for a waste transfer station at London Road East near Amersham have progressed after it was confirmed last week the Secretary of State was “content” that the planning process should be decided by the local authority.

The application for the giant warehouse – a joint partnership between Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) and FCC Environment – will mean waste will be stored and taken to the north of the county to be burned for energy.

But Chiltern District councillor Don Phillips, who is also chairman of the council's planning committee, said: “The amount of household rubbish that the area would produce would be in the teens, not the 40,000 that BCC and FCC are suggesting - all the figures are disgracefully rigged.”

“The project’s got nothing to do with household waste. What they want is to haul stuff in from North London and Hertfordshire in exchange for cash. The motive is primarily profit, not to service the community.

“I was very disappointed when it was not called in. This application should have been a much higher priority - the public have been seriously let down.”

BCC responded by confirming the proposed site would process a maximum of 50,000 tonnes per year, with around 40,000 household waste and the other 10,000 commercial waste.

They say the station will deal with household waste from Chiltern District Council and South Bucks District Council, as well as commercial waste from “Buckinghamshire and the wider area”.

Back in May, BCC’s Development Control Committee signalled its support for the application subject to an objection from the Environment Agency, a legal agreement over routing of lorries and the application being forwarded to the Secretary of State.

The Environment Agency later withdrew its objection and now - as a result of the government's decision - authorisation for the proposal will be granted if the legal agreement is made.

Liz Jones, secretary of ‘The Wasters’ – a group who oppose the new station – claims that BCC’s own projections are for 24,745 tonnes of ‘Municipal Solid Waste’ – ie black bag waste – for the catchment area of the station in 2016 rising, with the figure rising to 25,431 in 2026 (including the factor of population growth).

Ms Jones said: “We believe the public are being deceived and are not being told the truth about what this station will be used for.

“They’ve been told it will be primarily used for household waste but the facts do not stack up because at least half of the capacity of the station will be used for commercial waste.”

FFC Environment declined to comment when approached.