DOVE

A More Robust Waste Local Plan

Incineration is the strategy that has underpinned our Waste Local Plan from the outset.
           
Dove has been promoting the less polluting alternative since the Consultation Draft of the waste local plan; kerbside collection of biodegredable kitchen waste in keeping with the spirit of the landfill directive 1999/31/EC and the Waste Framework Directive 75/442/EEC (as revised by Directive 91/156/EEC) which states “waste should not be made more harmful than its original state”.  Obviously once this element is taken out of household waste the remaining components of the bin can be captured more easily for recycling.

The first deposit draft Plan published on1 November 2000 with a closing date of 12 December 2000, received a total of 55,563 objections, highlighting the communities rejection of incineration.

Following consideration of responses the second draft Plan was produced on 3 April 2002 and closed 14 May 2002 and elicited a further 27,614 objections.

From May 2003 until 24 October 2003 a Public Inquiry was held.  Material produced by Dove and the Councils can be accessed from our archives.

A Government appointed Inspector produced a report into objections June 2004.  He did not support identifying sites for Energy FromWaste nor Thermal Treatments or Incinerators.  He supported all the locations in the Plan for waste management facilities except Mountfield and also recommended additional locations.  The Inspector stated   “These should make the Plan more robust by increasing the scope for providing an adequate network of installations and a wider range of facilities”  These were also to be safeguarded.

The Inspector also recommended increases in recycling and composting rates aimed at in Policy WLP1.

The modifications to the Plan which were placed on deposit for public comment from 11 February 2005 until midday 24 March 2005 reflected few of the Inspector’s recommendations.  Mountfield was deleted and  Pebsham the reserve site for the eastern area was also moved to Policy WLP 8 at the Inspector’s recommendation.  However Newhaven was not placed under Policy WLP 8 or the heading of this policy changed to “Locations for Waste Management Facilities” as per his recommendation.  This constituted a material change to the plan.  The Eastern part of the Plan area would not now have a strategic facility for waste management.  The number of objections to this phase rose to l,500,000.

The Waste Local Plan was voted for adoption without further ammendments by Brighton & Hove City Council on the 24 November 2005 and on the 6 December 2005 by East Sussex County Council.


A letter to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister asking for the Plan to be called in and the Public Inquiry re-opened was sent by Dove’s Chairman, Proffessor Chris Chatwin.  The Town Councils and members of the public have written in support.

A holding directive preventing Brighton & Hove City Council and East Sussex County Council adopting the Plan was issued  by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for consideration and scrutiny of the case.  This holding directive has now been withdrawn.

The way forward is for us to instigate a judicial review.  In Dove’s opinion there has been a proceedural impropriety and we would be failing in our duty if we were not to attempt to rectify the matter. 

Please visit our website for a regular update.

Documents relating to the Waste Local Plan can be accessed via our archives and are as follows:
1st Deposit Draft
2nd Deposit Draft
Inspector’s Report
Schedule of Responses
Modified Waste Local Plan

The planning application for the Waste Transfer Station and Materials Recovery Facility in Brighton is expected shortly. Please see the Dump the Dump website for the latest news.