But it is not clear when a gas-burning generator at Welbeck landfill site, near Altofts, will be up to its full capacity of powering 8,000 homes.

Work was due to start on the gas plant back in 2003, but it will now begin in the late summer of this year. Council bosses said earlier this month they were 'very disappointed' at the delay.

A cut of the profits from the site will go to the council under a profit-sharing agreement and will help reduce costs of services, including waste disposal.

The delay meant natural gas from thousands of tonnes of household waste at the site was being wasted by being 'flared off' into the atmosphere.

Now site operator Welbeck Waste Management Ltd (WWML) has confirmed the plant will be built by 2009, but could not confirm when it will be up to its full eight-megawatt capacity.

A spokesman said maximum capacity would be reached following a 'phased programme'.

A clause in the site permit says the plant must be operational in 2009, but requires only one of its six gas-burning engines to be in place at that time.

Government watchdog The Environment Agency said it would take six engines to burn off all the gas produced at the site.

Paul Dainton, president of action group Residents Against Toxic Scheme (RATS), said: "It is appalling that they will be fully legally compliant by just building one gas engine. This is too little, too late and they will still be able to flare off the majority of the gas."