Town leaders claim they were kept in the dark over proposals for an industrial waste plant on their doorsteps.

Two Mid Sussex District Councillors claim they were not told their towns were being considered as sites for a waste treatment centre that could include an incinerator.

The councillors have complained the first they heard of the plans was when they read The Argus last week.

The front-page story revealed West Sussex County Council has looked at 16 locations for a waste plant including one at the Fairbridge Way recycling centre in Burgess Hill and another at Imberhorne tip in East Grinstead.

District councillor for Burgess Hill Anne Jones said: "To hear about it in the newspaper like this and not be told, I'm amazed.

"I don't see why we weren't notified as councillors of the ward."

Burgess Hill is in the process of completing a master plan to determine where to build new housing.

Coun Jones said the council had proposed building an estate close to Fairbridge Way.

She said: "What's likely to happen is the incinerator is going to be right in the middle of a housing estate.

"I'm sure they will tell us there will be no noise or pollution but it's going to cause a lot of problems.

"To have an industrial waste site so close to residential dwellings isn't acceptable."

District councillor for East Grinstead Heidi Brunsdon said she did not know about the Imberhorne Lane plant proposal.

She said: "I'm disappointed at whoever had failed to provide us with this information. I would have expected officers to allow members to take a long view on the planning policy about where we site these things.

"I think it shows a lack of joined up thinking."

The proposed 16 locations form part of the county council's waste and minerals strategy, which still requires Government approval.

Head of waste management Phil Russell said the council had tried to find alternatives to building an incinerator. But pressure to reduce landfill had forced them to look at other alternatives including building a waste burner and recycling sorting centres.

Leader of Mid Sussex District Council Gordon Marples sits on a waste group with the county council.

He said he was aware of the proposals. He said: "Nobody is going to roll out the red carpet saying we want an incinerator. Emotions run very high on this issue.

"Frankly if they consulted local authorities they wouldn't even get to the starting point on the process."

Cabinet member for waste at West Sussex County Council John de Mierre insisted consultation work had been carried out with Mid Sussex District Council.

He said: "They're looking at several different options and as far as I'm concerned it's weighted towards non incineration at this present time."

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