PLANS for a new 21st century plant that could slash heating bills by up to 15 per cent for more than 10,000 homes across Southamp-ton have been put on ice.

The go-ahead for the £5 million scheme on the outskirts of the city was put on hold for a month by planners last night.

Southampton City Council want the plant built at Nursling but first it must get the approval of the area's Test Valley planners.

Initially the the hot water generated from making the electricity could be piped across the M271 to about 2,000 council homes and 1,000 other homes in Millbrook.

But is may be extended to cover as many as 10,000 properties, including schools and businesses.

Southampton City Councillor George Melrose said early figures suggested the cut-price water would mean savings of between ten and 15 per cent.

He said if it went ahead a private firm would build the power plant and council would pay for the piping using a multi-million-pound regeneration grant from government.

Millbrook-based councillor Peter Wakeford added: "There may also be additional heating to each of the council properties.

"Not everyone has central heating so if we're able to put in a new system that would be wonderful and anything that enables people to save money on heating is welcome."

But the entire plan hinges on approval for the power plant from neighbouring Test Valley Borough Council, because the Nursling site falls outside Southampton City Council's area.

Test Valley councillor Nigel Anderdon, who campaigned against the plant prior to winning office, said "it was all on pause".

He said: "We're waiting for a report from independent experts at the end of the month."

Andrew Burgess, a spokesman for plant developer Nursling Power Generating, told the Daily Echo that the scheme could eventually be hooked up to 10,000 homes, as well as schools and businesses.

The plant has already attracted approval from government. It wants more of the gas-fired facilities around the country to gradually phase out coal-fired stations.