Waste and recycling sites have turned rural Horsham road into ‘major highway’


This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
West Sussex County Council’s planning committee approved an application to increase vehicle movements to and from the Britaniacrest site in Langhurstwood Road last Tuesday June 2 at Chichester’s County Hall.
The company already has permission to use the former Wealden Brickworks site as a waste transfer site.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWSCC’s planning committee agreed its application to manage and process up to 200,000 tonnes of commercial, industrial and municipal waste each year.
The new application looked to vary two conditions, allowing it to increase the amount of waste it could process to 230,000 tonnes a year.
Brian Johnson, speaking on behalf of the Langhurstwood Residents’ Group, said their narrow and quiet rural road had been transformed into a major highway over the past 15 years.
The original application was for an increase in traffic movements by 27.6 per cent, below the 30 per cent threshold which requires a full transport impact study.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBut if both applications were taken together the increase would be over 30 per cent and Mr Johnson believed a full impact study was required.
Although local member Peter Catchpole (Con, Holbrook) was not at the meeting a statement was read out on his behalf by Heidi Brunsdon (Con, Imberdown), chair of the committee.
Mr Catchpole said the community had borne the brunt of the West Sussex Local Waste Plan for many years, with massive increases in Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) movements.
He called for a complete analysis of the current situation before allowing any further increase in HGVs.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHowever officers said that the extra HGV movements would have a ‘barely perceptible impact’ in any location, and explained that councillors had to decide if the application before them was acceptable both in terms of highways capacity and its impact on residents’ amenity.
Liz Kitchen (Con, Rusper and Warnham) expressed ‘huge sympathy’ with the residents having to put up with ‘enormous’ vehicles travelling past their houses.
The Britaniacrest site is next to the Brookhurst Wood Landfill Site and Biffa’s mechanical biological treatment centre
The application was approved by seven to two, with four abstentions.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdDon’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.
Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on.
1 Make our website your homepage at www.wscountytimes.co.uk
2 Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wscountytimes
3 Follow us on Twitter @wscountytimes
4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
The County Times – always the first with your local news.
Be part of it.