Protests continue at the site

But Lawrence Isted called for safeguards for a conservation area within the site, which is a haven for great crested newts and other wildlife.

The report will be discussed at a full council meeting on Monday 4 September.

Around 70 people gathered at the quarry gates on Wednesday morning in the latest protest against dumping there.

Several lay in the path of a lorry trying to dump waste, but were pulled away by police, and there were no arrests.

Pauline Smout, chair of the Hafod Environmental Group, said she was "appalled" at Wrexham Council's decision not to halt operations at the site, in Johnstown.

'Determined'

She said the protest group were planning a mass demonstration outside the town's Guildhall on Monday, when councillors meet to discuss the plans.

She added: "There's no natural justice, but we are more determined than ever to go on fighting this."

Chief planning officer Mr Isted ruled there was no case for overturning the planning permission - which was granted after two public inquiries - allowing landfill at Hafod.

But after taking expert advice from ecologists, his report recommends that special "modification orders" are made to legally prevent any digging or dumping within the Special Area of Conservation.

The dumping of waste began on 24 August

In his report to members of the borough planning committee, Mr Isted said: "I believe there are no planning reasons to oppose the continued development of the site outside of the Special Area of Conservation.

"To revoke the whole permissions would exceed what is necessary to protect the conservation interests of the SAC and I strongly recommend that the council does not make a Revocation Order."

Locals have campaigned outside the former quarry since MWH Associates Ltd began tipping household waste at Hafod last week.

Responding to Wrexham council's report, Rob Allan, managing director of MWH Associates, said: "This is exactly what we expected.

"We have no intention to tip on the special area of conservation and what is proposed in the report is exactly the plan we put forward as far back as 2004."