NO decisions are expected on the controversial £100 million waste incinerator proposed for Portland until at least the autumn.

Dorset Council says there may also be another round of public and statutory consultation after officers asked the developers a series of questions about their current proposals.

It has also not yet been decided whether or not the application will be called in by the Secretary of State to make a decision on the Castletown plans.

A Dorset Council planning spokesman said: “In terms of what happens next, we are soon to issue a Regulation 25 request for further information from Powerfuel relating to issues that have been identified by the case officer and consultees. Once we receive a response from Powerfuel to this request we will undertake a further consultation on the additional information.

"We are working towards taking the application to the Strategic Planning Committee in the early autumn.”

READ MORE: Mixed reaction to waste incinerator plans

He said that while the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has the power to take over - or ‘call in’ - planning applications rather than letting the local authority decide, there is currently no indication that this may happen.

READ MORE: MP Richard Drax opposes waste incinerator plan

“The Secretary of State will normally only do this if the application conflicts with national policy in important ways, or which raise issues of national significance. This can be done at any time during the planning application process, up to the point that the local planning authority makes the decision.

“The Secretary of State has to take published government policy into account when deciding whether or not to call in a planning application, and when making the decision. If the secretary of state decides to call in a planning application, an inspector is appointed to carry out an inquiry into the proposal. The secretary of state has to take the inspector’s findings into account when making the decision.”

The power plant would use waste as a fuel to produce 15MW of low carbon energy, enough to power around 30,000 homes.

The plans have sparked anger among some residents and led to the launch of the Stop Portland Waste Incinerator protest group.

READ MORE: Protest against Portland waste incinerator

Campaigners are concerned about the increase in traffic and possible pollution from the plant, as well as its location on the Jurassic Coast.

A report was commissioned by the group using money raised through a public campaign, which found the development would 'significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits’.

But Powerfuel bosses hit back at the report, while Portland Port bosses said the construction of the incinerator is ‘vital to port’s future’.