A controversial West Sussex waste plant looks set to get a four-year stay of execution despite planners' opposition.

Peter Davies, head of planning and policy at Adur District Council, says the authority is against West Sussex County Council's application to extend the operation of the rubbish plant in Halewick Lane, Sompting, until December 2006.

But although Adur councillors are meeting to discuss the plans on Monday, the county council can give itself planning permission regardless of any decision made by members of the planning and policy committee.

Mr Davies said: "Basically, we are reluctantly accepting what they are saying in terms of needing that length of time to find an alternative site. We are going to have to live with it.

"It's disappointing that they want it for another four years but they have given their reasons and it would be difficult to not go with it.

"We are making points rather than objections because we don't want to see another application in four years for another extension."

People living near the site, at Halewick Lane, Sompting, celebrated victory 12 months ago when Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott ordered West Sussex County Council to close the plant.

They said the council had broken a longstanding promise to shut the 50-year-old centre when it voted to keep open and expand the waste transfer plant.

They fought a long battle to overturn the decision and won a public inquiry, whose findings were subsequently upheld by Mr Prescott.

But the county council has sparked anger by applying to keep the site running until December 31, 2006.

It intends to invite tenders for its waste management services, which is expected to take until the end of next year.

Then it will be the new contractors' responsibility to secure an alternative site for the rubbish complex, with four years given as the minimum time necessary for the relocation.

Members of Sompting Parish Council have expressed concern about the number of vehicles visiting the site and have asked for a condition to be imposed that it be closed on Sundays and bank holidays.

Nearby residents have sent 15 letters of objection to the council claiming house prices will decline, the site generates excessive traffic and noise and that the dust carts and lorries smell.

One resident wrote: "It is difficult to believe the site will ever close despite the outcome of the public inquiry. The goal posts are constantly changed, promises broken and so it goes on.

"Local people have fought long and hard for this site to be closed and yet still it continues."

Dan Raymond, of the Highview Residents' Association, said people who lived in the area were fed up with 40-tonne lorries going up the narrow road to the site.

A spokeswoman for West Sussex County Council said: "We need to find an alternative site. Sompting is very important, especially in terms of recycling, and we are actively looking for somewhere else.

"We are not being idle because we realise the need to move as soon as possible."