The DUP needs to explain its apparent U-turn on the proposed waste incinerator in South Antrim, Alliance MLA John Blair has said.

Mr Blair’s call came after DUP South Antrim MP Paul Girvan, who vocally opposed the controversial plans, was revealed to be calling for the project to now be approved, in a letter to the Infrastructure Minister, signed by DUP MPs.

The Alliance MLA said Mr Girvan must now explain his about-turn, when he had previously on a number of occasions shared platforms with other politicians to voice opposition to the plans.

“Local representatives and residents, who have stood together in opposition to this plan, will have many questions to ask if the local MP has steered, in any way, from his publicly stated position, declared from platforms which he and I shared,” said Mr Blair.

“Quite apart from the many thousands of objections which have been raised to this proposal, there are also additional, crucial, questions to be asked around whether this is actually a disincentive to recycling and also if existing incineration capacity in Northern Ireland is currently fully utilised.”