Derek Deedman

Despite excellent speeches from seven local residents explaining why the planning application to extend the life of the Horton Landfill Site at Small Dole should be refused, including health fears, the majority of the County Planning Committee voted to approve the application.

Local County Councillor, Derek Deedman, in his presentation to the Committee, highlighted the continuing growth in heavy traffic throughout the area, the fact that the Head of Waste Management Services (the Waste Disposal arm of the County Council) had told him that the Site did not feature in the Interim Contract for Waste Disposal (thus shooting down the claims that there was a need for the extra waste facility at Small Dole), and that the draft County Minerals & Waste Planning Framework policy on land raising (which this scheme was) stated that it did not form part of the preferred waste strategy and was unlikely to be acceptable. He then read out an example email from two local residents showing what a very bad impact the operation of the Site had on their daily life. Derek also referred to the litter from vehicles going into and out of the Site and wanted an extra planning condition to require vehicle containers to be covered to prevent spillage or loss of material onto the public highways. He finally asked for the application to fill the present void to be approved by extending planning permission to 1 June 2009, (with a further 18 months for restoration only), but called for the bid for extra waste to be tipped at the Site to be refused.During the Planning Committee discussion some of the Committee members were concerned at the health fears which had been raised by the Henfield Medical Centre, outlined by some of the residents speaking against the scheme, but wanted this addressed by stronger planning conditions rather than to refuse the application. One Member took the view that his area had suffered from planning decisions in the past - so why shouldn’t Small Dole receive the same treatment! Another Member felt that although the Committee had refused a similar land-raising waste application in the recent past, because this had then been allowed on appeal by the planning inspector, the Committee could not refuse this application.

Two Members did, however, speak out against the application. One agreed that the present void should be filled, but that any further tipping went against what could be regarded under the Human Rights Act as proportionate in terms of its continuing effects upon the private lives and homes of Small Dole residents. They had had their ’share’ of waste disposal. The other Member felt that the quality of life of local people was important and the County Council should base its actions on improving and enhancing the quality of life of all its residents.

Following a discussion as to how the planning conditions could be improved to better control the toxic and other gases and smells from the Site, the Committee decided, despite the objections, to approve the planning application. The use of the Site for disposal of waste is now to cease on or before 1 October, 2010, with restoration to be completed by 1 April 2012.

Derek said, “I hate to lose any debate, and although the odds were stacked against the application being refused I really thought there might have been a chance this time. For the people of Small Dole it is an extremely disappointing decision.”