Battle against landfill continues across the county

Nick Hollington, chairman of Bexhill Against Landfill and Incineration (BALI), said over 800 individual objections were sent to East Sussex County Council (ESCC) before the twice-extended consultation deadline on Monday (January 25).

BALI submitted their own 27-page objection last week. Many Bexhill residents have done the same, and will be wondering what happens now.

The next stage of the plan, the Pre-submission Core Strategy, was originally scheduled to be published next month, but ESCC Waste Team have admitted the massive number of objections has destroyed their timescale.

When published in the early summer, the document will decide whether Ashdown Brickworks will be included in the next stage of the plan.

Until then, Nick thanked the town for registering their objections, and urged Bexhill not to forget the key role it plays in opposing landfill.

Nick said: "The consultation is over; the fight continues. While feeling satisfied that we, BALI, and the people of Bexhill, have done our utmost in the current campaign to remove Ashdown Brickworks as a landfill site from the County's waste plan, we know from past experience how obdurate the County Council is regarding using this site for waste and so we cannot and will not relax our efforts.

"While hoping we will win at this stage and that Ashdown will be excluded from the Core Strategy, we must prepare for the eventuality that Ashdown is still included, in which case we will simply have to fight all over again '“ we will never give in - in the new consultation that will follow."

Bexhill is not alone in this fight. All over the county in villages and towns like Hellingly, Hailsham and Chiddingly groups have sprung up in opposition to the plans, and, despite the thoughtless comment of one Chiddingly Parish Councillor, who earlier this month in the Eastbourne Herald tried to deflect attention from his own doorstep saying: "there are other potential landfill sites over towards Bexhill", most protestors are uniting over calls for ESCC to re-think its dependency on landfill.

Wealden MP Charles Hendry and Lewes MP Norman Baker have joined Bexhill's Greg Barker in condemning the plans.

BALI have divided their efforts between campaigning and fundraising, and have already begun talks with county officers as they draw up the strategy. If you can help, please phone Nick on 01424 843046 or Mike Rosner (fr fundraising) on 01424 845688. Much needed donations can be sent to BALI Treasurer Pauline Rosner, at 16 Hillborough Close, Little Common, Bexhill on Sea TN39 3TW.

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