Permanently parked van sparks health concerns

Fears that human waste was being dumped beneath it have this week been allayed by Lewes District Council.

But local resident Nick Hazle is still not happy. He said: “My concern is that it is some form of wet, churned-up waste being dumped out of the vehicle on a road that school kids walk up and down every day.

“Be it human waste or other waste, it is not right that it is simply expelled from the vehicle on a public road.”

Mr Hazle said the large blue van has been converted into a motor home and is permanently parked in Church Lane, near the police and fire service HQ and St Michael’s Terrace.

“You can see smoke and light coming from it at night proving that someone is living in it,” he said. “They do move the vehicle every month or so, but only by a few metres.”

Mr Hazle, of Malling, Lewes, said his main issue was not the fact that the van is constantly parked there – although he does not agree with that – but the waste concern which he considers a matter for environmental health.

He has contacted both the district council and the police about the matter.

A spokesman for the council said: “The environmental health team has investigated a complaint about the van. The waste found was not human waste and there were no other public health concerns.

“The matter has been referred to both the highways department and traveller liaison team at East Sussex County Council.”