Peacehaven sewage plant plan thrown out (From The Argus)

Peacehaven sewage plant plan thrown out

12:56pm Friday 27th July 2007 in News By Damien Pearse

Plans for a £200 million sewage treatment plant at Peacehaven have been thrown out, the Government confirmed today.

The massive development from Southern Water was rejected at the conclusion of a planning appeal.

Protesters against the plan reacted with delight.

The decision, released by Hazel Blears at the Communities and Local Government office, described the proposed development as "alien".

But the decision states that the Peacehaven site is still the best in the area for the proposed sewage works, leaving the door open for an appeal by Southern Water.

The decision reads: "The waste treatment (WTW/SRC) works is a very large development which would not sit comfortably within the existing valley.

"The matt surfaced grey metal coloured sheeting to be used for the external surfaces of the building and roof would emphasise its alien nature.

Whilst the Secretaries of State accept that the exposed eastern elevation would aid comprehension of the design concept, they consider that this would be of little comfort when compared with its permanently intrusive incongruity. They conclude that the WTW/SRC in Southern Water's preferred scheme (LAN64D1) would have an unacceptably damaging visual and landscape impact on the area at the edge of the Downs and of Peacehaven.

"The Secretaries of State conclude, on balance, that the benefits of this much needed scheme (....) are not such as to outweigh the conflict with the development plan and the visual and landscape harm that would be caused.

"Accordingly, for the reasons given above, the Secretaries of State agree with the Inspector's recommendation and hereby dismiss the appeal and refuse planning permission for a new wastewater treatment works and sludge recycling centre at Peacehaven, a new combined sewer overflow at Black Rock, and wastewater flow transfer infrastructure from Brighton Marina to the proposed wastewater treatment works and onward to a new long sea outfall at Friars' Bay, with new pumping stations at Marine Drive in Roedean and Portobello in Telscombe Cliffs, sewer connections and access shafts, in accordance with application ref LW/429/CM(EIA), dated 8 April 2005."

The report however adds: "The Secretaries of State have had regard to East Sussex County Council's (ESCC's) position that, despite its opinion that the location of a WTW/SRC at Lower Hoddern Farm would be 'anathema', it nevertheless accepts the principle of locating this development at this site, subject to concerns on a number of details and to mitigating its potential effects."