Plans for an Incinerator at Ardley, near Bicester, have been approved.

The Secretary of State for Local Government and Communities Eric Pickles confirmed waste firm Viridor can build a 300,000-tonne annual capacity incinerator at Ardley Fields.

In December, Mr Pickles said he was “minded” to approve Viridor’s plan, which had been thrown out by the Oxfordshire County Council’s planning committee, subject to the firm supplying him with further information.

A subsequent application by Viridor for the site was approved by the council.

Anyone who wants to challenge Mr Pickles’s decision has 42 days to make a submission.

Project manager Robert Ryan said: “The decision reflects the urgent need to provide a much-needed alternative to landfill disposal.

“Our proposed state-of-the-art development will provide a long-term solution to Oxfordshire’s residual waste treatment needs which is safe, robust and cost-effective.

“We will continue working with Oxfordshire County Council towards signing of the contract and look forward to starting preparation work to deliver a first-class facility.”

Jon O’Neill, chairman of action group Ardley Against the Incinerator, said: “It is not what we wanted, but we will look at what options are left to us and, if we are in a financial and feasible position, we will take those options.

“We have noticed the language of Viridor’s PR has changed from this being Oxfordshire’s need and a waste facility for Oxfordshire, to a waste project Oxfordshire could be proud of.

“They have now got the authority to import waste from any corner of the UK.”

Viridor said it plans to start work building the incinerator this spring and it should be operational by the summer of 2014.