A public inquiry into Brighton, Hove and East Sussex's controversial waste plans will cost taxpayers £684,000.

The city and county councils have to pay for a hearing into the plans, which they have been working on for four years.

The inquiry is due to start next spring, 12 months behind schedule.

More than 13,000 people objected to the proposals during the main consultation last year, which was thought to be a record for a planning document produced by an English local authority.

The majority of the objections were about proposals to build two huge waste-burning incinerators at North Quay, Newhaven, and Mountfield Mine, near Robertsbridge.

Tomorrow, the councils will select a preferred bidder for the £1 billion contract, which is being paid for using the Government's private finance initiative.

The successful company, from a shortlist of two - Onyx Aurora and Viridor-Tiru - is expected to take over responsibility for waste disposal and recycling for the two councils next April.

Critics said the 20-year contract should not be signed until the results of the public inquiry were known.

Newhaven county councillor David Rogers, who is opposed to building a burner at North Quay, said objectors would be left at a disadvantage.

He said they would find it difficult to afford the level of legal representation the councils were expected to field at the inquiry.

He said: "This is money being spent for something we don't want on top of the costs of building an incinerator."

The city council is expected to pay about £228,000 towards the hearing and East Sussex County Council will pay £456,000.