PLANS for a huge eco-friendly power station in Crays Hill could be back on.

Basildon councillors have met with KTI Energy over the firm’s plans to build a wood-burning power plant, even though the council had previously rejected proposals for such a plant.

Plans for the bio-mass plant emerged in June last year, but after a meeting between KTI and the council, the idea was dismissed as unacceptable in August and again in April this year.

But Dr Bill Temple-Pediani, boss of KTI, said the council was looking again at the plans and the Government had the final say over any major power station.

He said: “If this project is falling on deaf ears, why am I being invited to make a presentation to Malcolm Buckley and other councillors of Basildon District Council?

“It is the Secretary of State for energy and climate change who is the planning authority for any power stations over 50 megawatts.”

Mr Buckley admitted the meeting took place with Dr Temple-Pediani, but said it was out of courtesy to the firm and the plans had not been developed.

He said: “A presentation was given to members and officers and that’s a courtesy we offer to all people who have plans for any development anywhere in the district, irrespective of whether we support these plans or not.

“Although he has a number of locations in mind, as far as I’m concerned there’s not even a secured location, much less has he drawn up plans.”

But Mr Buckley said he could not completely rule out the possibility of using bio-mass in the future.

He said: “We have bio-mass on a small scale powering the new heritage centre in Wat Tyler country park, so we can’t say it’s completely inappropriate.

“The issue really is whether there should be a commercial development of that scale in Basildon.”

The meeting took place last Wednesday.