Tory council breaks own rules over incinerator

11.39.11pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 16th Jan 2007

Local Lib Dems have long campaigned to stop the incinerator.

Conservative-run East Sussex County Council has been forced to postpone its decision on the application to construct an incinerator in Newhaven.

The deeply unpopular incinerator has been forced through by the council up until now despite Lib Dem claims that the application breached the council's own guidelines. Now the County Council have finally realised that Lib Dems have in fact been correct all along and have been forced into an embarrassing clime-down by postponing the application decision.

Newhaven Lib Dem County Councillor and anti-incinerator campaigner, Pat Ost, says of the postponement: "We have long held that the incinerator application breached the council's own guidelines in two areas: unacceptable visual impact on an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and using up valuable port area land earmarked for aggregate and building materials at a time when the pressure to build in the South East has been declared as a priority by this government."

"Hopefully this further delay will allow Conservative councillors to reflect on the impact this will have on Newhaven and the surrounding area. The damage will last for generations and we need to get through to this out-of-touch council the people don't want this monstrosity on their doorsteps!"

Newhaven Mayor and Town Councillor, Rod Main, adds: "Once again the County Council has shown that it is not in control of the situation. This is a humiliating shambles for them and these are the people who are dumping this incinerator on us! We have been telling them that they were ignoring their own rules for years, and now they finally realise. I hope its not too late for them to see sense - but I won't hold my breath!"