Work starts on land earmarked for incinerator

Contractors have fenced off and started to clear the land on North Quay, Newhaven.

Plans for the controversial incinerator have faced fierce opposition from people concerned about alleged health risks.

East Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove City Council have signed a 25-year contract with Veolia Environmental Services to build the burner.

Lewes district MP Norman Baker was furious. He said: 'This is absolutely ridiculous. With a judicial review still underway and the incinerator still requiring a licence, the county council should simply not be proceeding with the construction of the incinerator.'

Friends of the Earth (Lewes and District branch) is seeking a judicial review of the planning permission and Newhaven mother Nicola Day successfully challenged the Environment Agency over a pollution prevention control (PPC) permit it granted Veolia.

She said agency officers did not give proper consideration to carbon monoxide emissions.

A spokesman for the county council said: 'The proposed energy from waste facility at Newhaven has valid planning permission.

'While there is an application under-way seeking permission for a judicial review of that planning process, which challenges its validity, it does not render the planning permission invalid while that application is being considered.

'Furthermore a PPC licence is needed to operate the facility when it is built.

'It is not required during construction and the Environment Agency is considering again whether a licence should be granted.'