A waste authority has denied claims that campaigners had anything to do with a decision to ditch controversial plans to build a huge waste plant.

The North London Waste Authority had planned to build a multi-million pound waste disposal facility in Pinkham Way, Bounds Green.

The plant was part of a £3billion, 30-year strategy for handling waste from seven local authorities, including Barnet, Enfield and Haringey.

But on Friday, the NLWA announced it was putting its proposals for the Bounds Green development on hold.

Campaigners, who have strongly opposed the controversial plans since they were first announced, claimed responsibility for the U-turn.

But the NLWA insisted the move came about after it identified an alternative strategy, which it claims will save £900million over the next three decades.

A spokesman for the waste authority said a petition by the Pinkham Way Alliance (PWA), which led the fight against the NLWA’s plans, was not a consideration in their decision.

She said: “Members noted that it would be usual to carry out a review to ensure that the decision continued to represent the right strategy and the best value for north London tax payers.

“Members of the authority were not convinced that the procurement process now offers the right solutions for managing north London’s waste in the context of extreme pressures on local authority finances.

“Changes in the planning and policy framework have also meant that cheaper options originally discounted are now more deliverable.”

Yesterday the PWA claimed that around £30million had already been wasted on outside consultants and staff costs.

However, the waste authority claims only £21million has been spent on the procurement process so far over a seven-year period.

It added that a significant amount of the work done will inform future strategy development, and be of long-term use.

The NLWA’s alternative strategy will be based on continued use of the authority’s existing Edmonton facility.

Regular bin collections are not expected to be affected by the decision and details of what will happen with the Pinkham Way site.

A spokesman for the authority denied claims that it had ever planned to build an incinerator on the site in Bounds Green.