Small Dole is ‘a magnet for waste facilities’

A Small Dole resident claimed the village has been subject to enough waste pollution over the last 40 years, whilst a Henfield resident claimed the waste facility could create further traffic congestion.

Sweeptech’s application to change the use of a site from a storage and distribution centre to a waste recycling facility off Shoreham Road, just south of Henfield and north of Small Dole, will recycle 75,000 tonnes of waste per year collected from road sweeping and gully clearing.

However, the proposal was disputed by residents at a public meeting in Henfield’s White Hart pub on Thursday.

Henfield resident Adrian Jessup lives just 100 yards from the proposed 22 acre site, also known as the Old Brickworks.

He said: “My main concern is the location for the heavy traffic that’s going to be used to and from the site.

“Sweeptech have said there will be 35 movements a day from the site onto Shoreham Road (A2037), which is situated on a bend that has no overtaking on it, and if they can’t go through Henfield or Small Dole they’ll have to take Horn Lane, a small treacherous road.”

Mr Jessup was worried about potential smells and odours that could come from the site.

“I have no objection to recycling, but it’s not in the right location. It needs to be on a dual carriageway with a convenient slip road,” he added.

Small Dole residents have battled waste facilities in the past, including Horton Landfill Site, which opened in 1991 and closed in 2011.

Small Dole Action Committee member Chris Warren said residents are still ‘suffering the consequences of pollution’.

“Small Dole seems to be a magnet for waste processing. It’s more than we need,” said Mr Warren.

“We have had waste lorries for donkey’s years and there’s been damage done to the roads as a result.

“There will be a dozen residents directly affected by this.”

Mr Warren said he is also concerned about the waste vehicle’s route, and claimed it could potentially affect Henfield, Woodmancote, Small Dole and Upper Beeding.

Sweeptech CEO Martin Smith said the award winning business is an ‘environmental service’ that will provide ‘landfill avoidance’ and help reduce West Sussex County Council’s carbon footprint in accordance with the European Union.

He said: “I personally wrote to all neighbours within the vicinity and invited them to a meeting.

“We’re sympathetic to vehicle movements. Our road sweepers and drivers currently go along Shoreham Road and we have a contract with the highways agency.

“Our drivers are instructed not to go through Henfield and vehicles travelling through South Dole will be minimal at best.

“The product is not particularly odorous. The material is of a moist content, not of dusty particles, and the process takes place within the building.

“We have monitored the noise by a reputable company that has recorded the noise levels around the site. The report shows that the existing noise from the road is greater than the noise we produce.

“Eighty per cent of materials collected will be turned into non-waste used for stones, drain laying and cement.”

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