Plans to build an incinerator on the border of Croydon and Sutton look set to go ahead after getting Government backing.

Sutton Council gave planning permission for waste management firm Viridor to build an incinerator in Beddington Lane earlier this year.

The plans have also been given the green light by London Mayor Boris Johnson but had to go in front of Eric Pickles MP, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, before any work can go ahead.

A spokesman for Sutton Council confirmed Mr Pickles and his department have given the council's decision to allow planning permission their backing.

The spokesman said: "The minister has indicated that he will not interfere with the planning decision."

Viridor plans to build the energy recovery facility (ERF) on the landfill site in Beddington Lane on behalf of the South London Waste Partnership, made up of Croydon, Sutton, Merton and Kingston councils.

Your Local Guardian: How the incinerator would look from Beddington Lane

How the incinerator could look from Beddington Lane

It will take up to 302,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste from the four areas every year and burn it to create energy that should be distributed to neighbouring homes in the form of heat and electricity.

Campaigners have rallied against the plans amid fears emissions from the plant will be harmful to health and that it will bring increased traffic to the area.