A waste plan which identifies a former abattoir as a potential site for a controversial recycling facility is set to be adopted by councillors next week.

The Waste Local Plan sets out a strategy for managing household waste produced in East Sussex and Brighton and Hove in the next ten years.

If accepted it will be used to justify the construction of major new waste facilities such as Onyx's proposed £10 million recycling and waste transfer site in Hollingdean Lane, Brighton.

A report coming to Brighton and Hove City Council's policy and resources committee on November 9 recommends no further changes should be made to the plan and that it should now be formally adopted by the city council and East Sussex County Council. The county council's Cabinet will consider the plan on November 15.

If both councils decide to adopt it, a statutory 28-day notice period will be triggered, during which the Government can either request modifications or hold a further public inquiry.

After the notice period, assuming no changes, the councils will advertise a notice of formal adoption of the plan.

Last month The Argus revealed Onyx may start planning again after its proposals triggered thousands of objections.

The company, which has a 25-year contract for waste management in Brighton and Hove and East Sussex, is considering withdrawing its plan, which it submitted to the city council in January, and replacing it with a new one which it hopes would be more acceptable.

One option it is looking at would reduce the maximum processing capacity of the plant from 200,000 tonnes of waste a year to 160,000 tonnes.

Yesterday an Onyx spokeswoman said the firm was still considering its options.