Traffic bans in all parts of southwest China's city of Shifang have been lifted following a three-day protest over the construction of a copper plant that local residents feared would result in environmental damage.

Traffic restrictions on all of the city's streets were lifted as of Thursday.

Local residents took to the streets from June 30 to July 2, expressing strong opposition to the city government's plan to allow the construction of a molybdenum-copper alloy factory.

A ceremony was held in the city on June 29 to mark the start of construction on the plant, which was to be built with an investment of 10.4 billion yuan (1.6 billion U.S. dollars) by the Sichuan Hongda Group.

In response to the protests, Li Chengjin, Communist Party of China (CPC) secretary of Shifang, announced Tuesday that the factory will no longer be built in the city.