Fresh opposition to the Poling composting plant

PLANS to build a controversial composting plant in Poling have met with fresh opposition from Arun councillors.

A site inspection panel of councillors visited the old Blue Prince Mushrooms site on the A27 and concluded that smells from the decomposing waste, and dust and noise from vehicles using the site, would adversely affect Poling residents.

If the composting plant is approved, it will be licensed to process 40,000 tons of green waste and kitchen waste a year by means of in-vessel composting.

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Poling residents have argued that the large scale of the site, the size of four football pitches, and its proximity to houses in Poling, some only 250 metres away, would blight their pretty village, ruin their quality of life and devalue their homes.

Tony Mercer, chairman of the Poling parish meeting, told Arun councillors that his main concern was the difference between mushroom composting and kitchen waste composting.

He said: "When it was used for mushroom growing there was no smell or problems. They said it wouldn't smell at Aldingbourne but it does smell. I know, I've been there."

Objections have also been raised about the possible health risks of bio-aerosols released from the site and the effect these could have on terminally-ill children at the Chestnut Tree House children's hospice, which is around half a mile away.

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But the supporters of the site say that smell and noise would be minimal and will not affect residents.

They also claim that the recycling of waste is an environmentally friendly way of dealing with much of the thousands of tons of rubbish dumped into landfill by Arun residents every year.

Speaking on behalf of the Vineries Management, the company planning to open the new plant, Paul Airey told Arun councillors that the site would not smell or pose a health threat to Poling residents.

He said: "Composting can generate smells but by operating in-vessel, these can be reduced, particularly as the air is cleaned and passed through a bio-filter."

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Councillor Mark Butler said: "Waste smells whether you like it or not. This is the wrong place, the wrong time and I'm totally against it."

The Highways Agency and Environmental Health have raised no objections to the plans.

Arun have made their representations to West Sussex County Council, which is expected to make a decision on the plans by the end of the month.