The Blue Circle Cement Works between Shoreham and Upper Beeding is one of the biggest eyesores anywhere in the Downs.

A vast area of chalk was systematically hacked away over the years to provide cement before the site was abandoned, leaving a huge gash in the hills.

Now developers have come forward with a plan to provide a business park, housing, a hotel and leisure on the site.

There's little chance that this large and valuable area could ever be restored to open downland despite its highly visible location in the Adur Valley.

But any development must be of the highest possible standard to fit in with the locality and should not overload the A283 road, which is already busy.

The jobs and homes such a scheme would provide would be doubly welcome in an area of high housing demand and unemployment.