August 10th, 2020.


Lewes District Green Party say that more than 350 people have taken part in a campaign calling on East Sussex County Council to get serious on waste, and to change controversial new policies which they say fail to tackle climate change, and which will damage areas including Newhaven.

Speaking on behalf of Lewes District Green Party, local campaigner Emily O'Brien explained: "1.75 million tonnes of waste is produced in East Sussex and Brighton & Hove each year. Construction accounts for an astonishing 51% of all waste in the county. Yet this new plan fails to tackle the waste mountain, fails to set climate change targets, and instead encourages more dumping in areas like Newhaven which already have more than their share of both.

"We have seen that people really care about their areas, but are only able to get involved when a controversial planning application lands in their area. By then it's too late. No matter how many objections and petitions and protests, any application will be decided on the policy that's already been agreed months or even years ago. Brett Aggregates concrete plant and Newhaven incinerator were both given planning permission despite thousands of objections, and the plan we are campaigning on now is the very same plan that allowed those decisions to happen. That’s why this campaign is so important.

"If anything this plan is worse. We are concerned about a new requirement for areas of Newhaven that in future will prevent development which will conflict with using the area for waste and minerals (aggregates). How is that going to work with the positive new Clean Green growth plans for Newhaven?"

The group say they are delighted with the number of consultation responses sent in as a result of their campaign and they expect East Sussex County Council, along with Brighton & Hove Council and the South Downs National Park Authority, to make the changes demanded. They say if this does not happen they will do what it takes to continue the campaign.