Plans to reopen former household refuse site

The waste transfer site in Newhaven stopped recycling in 2011

Plans to reopen a waste transfer site in Newhaven are due to go in front of council planners.

Lewes District Council is set to consider proposals to turn a former household waste recycling site in Lewes Road into a site for the handling of food waste.

The application, submitted by the council itself, comes as local authorities prepare for food waste collections to become a statutory requirement by March 2026.

However, residents have raised fears about disturbance from noise, odour, and the possibility of vermin being attracted to the site, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Similar objections have been raised by Newhaven Town Council, which also raised concerns about highway safety.

These concerns are not shared by council planning officers, who are recommending the application be approved.

'Plan to mitigate noise'

Officers noted the site would be required to have a plan to mitigate noise and odour and to deter vermin from accessing the site.

They also noted the use of poisons would be prohibited, addressing concerns raised by some residents about dangers to household pets.

The site, which stopped recycling in 2011, would also be used to store and service the council’s electric-powered food waste collection fleet.

It would have 15 electric charging stations, one for each vehicle in the fleet.

In a report to the committee, a council planning spokesman said: “The Local Planning Authority is satisfied that the site has the capacity to support the development, without resulting in unacceptable harm."

The committee will meet on Wednesday to discuss the proposals.

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