Landfill in West Sussex: Landmark decision - Ibstock seeks planning permission for a landfill at Laybrook

West Sussex, like East Sussex is, in principle, against accepting London waste or creating further landfill sites, even though its landfill sites are fast running out of space. It too is preparing a Waste and Mineral Development Framework (WMDF). They too are under pressure to create further landfill sites and, unlike East Sussex, have a considerable amount of void-space (holes in the ground). Their WMDF is at a further stage than East Sussex' and it should be noted that sites previously rejected have been brought back into consideration.

Apart from the comparison it could be that West Sussex may provide part of the solution for East Sussex waste and/ or vice versa. Although there are clearly some transport restraints, waste disposal often takes place out of county and some suspect there may be working understandings between the two counties.

In 2007 West Sussex County Council (WSCC) were considering no less than six possible sites for their WMDF landfill. These were then reduced to three, all in Horsham district, as follows:

• Brockhurst Wood extension: Approved March 2008
• Langhurstwood quarry: Still under consideration
• Laybrook Brickworks(Ibstock): Planning Application still under consideration

In addition to this, Veolia applied in 2007-08 for a landfill at Rock Common Quarry near Storrington, proposing it to be the largest in the South East. There was much opposition from local residents and the local action group Chanctonbury Landfill Action Group (CLAG). The Environment Agency opposed the application as representing 'a significant threat to groundwater quality'. The local MP, Nick Herbert, Shadow Secretary for the Environment was a leading light in the campaign against the application even addressing the WSCC Planning Committee. In any case WSCC officers recommended refusal of the application as 'not in the long-term public interest' and it was duly refused in January 2009.

Laybrook Brickworks (Thakeham)

Cory Environmental, the waste contractor, submitted its planning application on 23rd January 2009 after consulting (mainly 'exhibitions') with the local residents and the local action group: Thakeham Village Action (TVA). This has now been validated by WSCC and an eight week public consultation is now taking place.

What is already apparent is that Nick Herbert MP has again taken up the cudgel to support the local residents. In fact he is calling for an end to all landfill of non-inert waste. let's hope our local MP will be of similarly heroic stature if it ever comes to an application for landfill at Ashdown!

We could well regard Laybrook as a test case for Ashdown, a similar quarry. TVA are in a similar situation to BALI and we should make contact with them.