Campaigners against a controversial waste plant were dealt a blow when councillors voted to approve the scheme.

Brighton and Hove City Council's policy and resources committee yesterday backed plans which include an incinerator and rubbish plant which have angered thousands of people.

The plans, which also involve East Sussex County Council, now go before a full city council meeting on November 24 which has been asked to approve the scheme.

More than 100 people from three campaign groups chanted slogans and waved placards outside Hove Town Hall yesterday as councillors voted in favour of the scheme.

Police arrested one man, who was not part of the protest but tried to join in, for using foul language. His can of Special Brew was taken from him.

Campaigners jeered councillors arriving at the meeting shouting the "waste plan stinks". One campaigner parked a red Citroen 2CV car outside the town hall with a poster attached to a window saying: "Your Waste Stinks".

The plan sets out the tactics for dealing with waste in Brighton and Hove and East Sussex and includes controversial plans for an incinerator for a waste burner at Newhaven and a waste transfer and recovery site in Hollindean Lane, Brighton.

In the past six weeks, Brighton and Hove City Council has received 8,400 letters of objection and 175 of support for the scheme.

Coun Keith Taylor, convenor of the Green party, said recycling targets in the plan fell short of what would become statutory requirements by 2007.

He said his group would table an amendment for the full council meeting to ask to re-open a public enquiry into the scheme.

Campaigners from pressure group Dump the Dump are fighting the Hollingdean Lane plan while others from Defenders of the Ouse Valley (DOVE) are fighting the Newhaven burner. Environmental group Friends of the Earth is against both plans.

Sharifin Gardiner, of DOVE, said: "The inspector gave his report and they cherry picked the recommendations. They are determined to have an incinerator."

Dump the Dump protestor Karen Amsden, of Chester Terrace, Brighton, said: " I have done a survey of 500 residents nearby and 95 per cent of them said they were concerned about the effect it would have."

Coun Paul Elgood, Lib Dem environment spokesman, said: "The plan is deeply flawed.

"Many residents are now rising up in arms."