Action group form to fight new waste threat

They were told that owners Ibstock had denied they had plans for waste incineration if the pits were used for landfill - but that a heat-from-waste plant was a possibility.

Extra chairs had to brought into the High School's Gunters Lane Hall. MP Gregory Barker who had called the meeting had to warn that if more than 20 people were standing last Thursday's meeting would have to be closed under fire regulations.

He told protesters: "The fact that so many of you are here this evening is a measure of the deep concern felt about what might happen at Ashdown Brickworks."

He assured the meeting: "I am absolutely and categorically against any large-scale inappropriate use of Ashdown Brickworks...

"We only have to look at what happened at Pebsham over the August Bank Holiday with that terrible fire which absolutely blighted a large part of the town - we don't want that here!"

He had written to the managing director of brickworks owners Ibstock.

"He says that there are no plans for an incinerator - but that does NOT categorically rule it out.

"What is more, he also says if there is landfill there, there could be a heat-from-waste plant."

The Conservative MP said the issue was not a party-political matter and had cross-party support.

North Bexhill Labour county member Cllr Keith Bridger warned that a century of clay extraction from the Turkey Road site had left a million cubic foot hole.

The county council was desperately seeking new landfill sites.

"You can see the problem we are facing. We have a very large hole on our doorstep that the county would very much like to fill...

"I think that we as residents, and those representing you on the county council, MUST present as united a front of opposition as we can.

"To my mind, party politics does not come into this. A hundred people in a brick-making factory is preferable to six employed in a landfill tip."

West Bexhill Conservative county member Cllr Brian Gadd said: "This issue transcends party politics. We can only fight it if we stand together."

High Woods Preservation Society acting chairman Alan Malpass repeated his recent warning that a landfill site adjoining the designated Site of Special Scientific Interest would disturb key bird-nesting areas and lead to a dangerous "explosion" in the rat population.