Bicester could find itself wedged between two incinerators burning at total of 600,000 tonnes of waste a year, it has emerged.

There are already proposals to build an incinerator at either Ardley or Sutton Courtenay in Oxfordshire, but just over the Buckinghamshire boundary another could be built.

Buckinghamshire County Council has two proposed sites – one at Calvert, which is just ten miles from Bicester.

If the Calvert site goes ahead there could be an increase of about 100 lorry movements on the A41, via Bicester and Junction Nine of the M40. Last week, we reported that Oxfordshire MPs feared the county could end up with two incinerators, and if the Calvert site got the green light there could be three within a 26-mile distance of Bicester.

Protest groups are concerned there will be an increase in lorry traffic, pollution and also the worries over heath issues from emissions.

Jonathan O’Neill, of Ardley Against the Incinerator, said: “We could end up with three — two in Oxfordshire and one at Calvert.

“It’s not great news and Bicester could potentially get slammed from two decisions.

“You have to look at both of these — if they get planning for Ardley and Calvert, that’s less than nine miles between each other, surely they cannot be viable.

“Our message is: No incinerators anywhere. There is better technology out there.”

Callum Mackenzie, of Sutton Courtenay Against the Incinerator, said the news was “terrible” and called on county hall to re-think its policy over incineration.

David Spencer, of Buckinghamshire County Council’s waste management department, hoped for a decision this summer. He said: “Both companies will be assessed on an array of criteria. We looked at it from a planning perspective, a cost perspective and the number of jobs it would create.”

Waste Recycling Group — the same firm that put forward a proposal to run an incinerator at Sutton Courtenay — says it would burn 300,000 tonnes of waste each year at the Calvert site.

A chimney stack would stand up to 95 metres high and the firm pledged, if successful, it would to carry out a public consultation before submitting a planning application this winter.

Paul Green, senior development manager, said all sites were strictly monitored to ensure no public health risk.

He said: “WRG believes Energy from Waste incineration, EfW, is an important part of the solution for more environmentally sustainable waste and resource management.

“The technology is recognised both by the UK government and by other European countries and, when coupled with ambitious recycling rates, it provides a positive alternative to landfill.”

Oxfordshire County Council is due to make a decision over where in the county to site a £100m incinerator — either Ardley or Sutton Courtney — in the next few months.