Campaigners who launched an unsuccessful legal challenge against Suffolk County Council’s waste transfer station plans for Bury St Edmunds have said they are “encouraged” that the borough council has revealed details of its preferred alternative site.

The group, led by John Corrie, took the county council to the High Court over its plans for a waste transfer station at a site at Rougham Hill, which is set to be near a new housing development of about 1,250 homes.

While a High Court judge ruled the decision to grant planning permission for the facility at Rougham Hill was lawful, Mr Corrie said: “We are very encouraged that St Edmundsbury Borough Council has now released details of their preferred alternative site for the facility. In their proposal, the new site would also provide a depot for council vehicles and, by concentrating vehicle and waste services on a single site, would expect to make significant overall cost savings.”

The borough council has announced its preferred location for a combined waste and depot facility – a 16-acre greenfield site at Hollow Road Farm off Compiegne Way. It has already approved proposals to spend up to £100,000 on a project to investigate the feasibility of the site as well as securing an option to purchase the land, and will be working with Suffolk County Council on the initiative.

Mr Corrie added: “Overall, we believe the judicial review process has delivered the opportunity for a much better outcome for Bury St Edmunds and we again thank all those who have contributed so generously to the costs of the legal campaign.

“Donations in support of the fight have topped £19,500, and members of the campaign group have paid almost £12,000 in costs to date. We have made an application for leave to appeal the court’s decision, but need to consider our options before going down this route.”