Protesters gather before the planning meeting in Crewe
Controversial plans for a new recycling centre in Cheshire have been approved despite concerns over traffic problems and the potential presence in the soil of toxic World War One-era phosgenes.
Cheshire East Council insisted "chemical warfare" specialists would inspect the site in Middlewich.
The local authority insisted the site was "urgently needed" and that any traffic increases would be "marginal".
Protesters condemned the decision as "a disgrace".
Independent Middlewich town councillor David Latham said: "Middlewich has been landed with something it doesn't deserve through no fault of its own."
He said campaigners would now consider legal action.
'Negligible risk'
More than 800 people have signed a petition calling on the council to complete the construction of a proposed bypass before the new facility is opened at the former Ideal Standard factory site south of the town.
Middlewich First group councillor Bernice Walmsley told a meeting of Cheshire East Council's main planning committee that the council had used "made up" figures to argue that the scheme would only lead to a "marginal" increase in traffic.
But Ralph Kemp, responsible for waste at the council, insisted a study had shown "vehicle movements would not be significantly higher" than when the site was used as a factory.
He said the facility was "urgently needed" to allow the council to increase recycling rates.
Concerns about the potential presence of toxic phosgene and chlorine have been raised because of the site's former use for manufacturing chemical weapons during World War One.
A council report said there was a "negligible" risk that the chemicals would be present in the soil, but "specialist subcontractors in chemical warfare materials" would be consulted before building work takes place.
Mr Kemp insisted the site would be "closely regulated and monitored by the Environment Agency".
