Plans for Sussex to accommodate London waste

Oct 11, 2008
By Andy Chiles

Millions of tonnes of London rubbish will be dumped in Sussex – and a beauty spot could be transformed into a huge landfill site to meet the need.

The Government has confirmed a plan to send 3.5 million tonnes of waste from the capital to be disposed of in the county’s countryside.

It means thousands of articulated lorries will be sent along Sussex’s roads to transport the refuse and hundreds of residents will face the reality of living close to tips.

The news has infuriated opponents, particularly in West Sussex where the county council recently put in place a £1 billion plan which will cut its own landfill to an absolute minimum.

The county has now been told it will be expected to accommodate 1.92 million tonnes of London landfill between now and 2025.

Henry Smith, leader of West Sussex County Council, said: “Why can’t London deal with its own rubbish? It is unacceptable, after we have worked so hard to encourage recycling and reduce landfill, that our environment will suffer because London is failing to do the same.”

Several sites across East and West Sussex have been earmarked. Some would be extensions of existing facilities while others would be new.

East Sussex and Brighton and Hove will be expected to take 1.65 million tonnes of London waste by 2025.

Villagers in Washington, near Storrington, were devastated to discover a new planning application had been submitted to fill the Rock Common Quarry, next to the A283, with 5.5 million tonnes of landfill.

The sand quarry, in a beauty spot, has been excavated for almost 100 years but digging was due to finish next year and the site was to be converted into a country park.

Instead waste firm Veolia Environmental Services has applied to fill it with non-hazardous material, including domestic, commercial and industrial waste, over a 25-year period.

Lesley Britt, from Washington, said: “Through all the years of excavation, with lorries coming and going, we have had the expectation of being left with something beautiful. The disappointment that they could take that away and impose this anathema on us instead is huge.”

Veolia originally applied to use the site last year but met opposition from many groups, including the council itself.

One of the main arguments against the plan is that the site includes an aquifer which flows into the main watercourse.

The revised Government figures for how London’s waste should be disposed of have gone out for consultation until October 24.

Coun Smith said he would take up the issue at a meeting with the Greater London Authority this month. Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert said he would ask London Mayor Boris Johnson to intervene.