Wastewater decision for Brighton
Posted: Saturday 28th July 2007
The Government has confirmed that there is no better location than Peacehaven for a new wastewater treatment works to serve Brighton and Hove and the surrounding area – and Southern Water is delighted that this conclusion supports the company’s own exhaustive analysis.
However, permission has been refused for the company’s current plans for a new wastewater treatment works and sludge recycling centre at Lower Hoddern Farm, Peacehaven, and associated infrastructure.
The grounds for refusal by two Secretaries of State – Hazel Blears MP and Hilary Benn MP – follow a public inquiry held in 2006 and focus on the landscape and visual impact of the proposal. However, they confirm that no better site for the treatment works has been demonstrated, and that the principle of location at Lower Hoddern Farm is appropriate.
Southern Water will now carefully study the report before considering a revised solution for providing modern wastewater treatment for 250,000 residents of Brighton and Hove, Woodingdean, Ovingdean, Rottingdean, Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs and Peacehaven at the Lower Hoddern Farm location.
Damon Elliott, Southern Water’s Major Project Manager, said: “We welcome the support in principle by the Secretaries of State of our proposals as it follows an exhaustive and lengthy process to find a site on which to build the modern treatment works that this area so desperately needs and deserves.
“The scheme will not only deliver much higher standards of wastewater treatment but will also benefit the wider area as it will ultimately bring unprecedented environmental improvements to this important stretch of the south coast.
“Our priority now is to resolve outstanding matters and, once we have achieved that, deliver this scheme as quickly as possible and with the minimum of disruption.”
The East Sussex coastal area is among the last in the UK not to meet European standards. The European Commission has already referred the UK Government to the European Court of Justice for failure to comply with the legislation specifically for this area. The Secretary of State recognises that there is an acknowledged urgent need to meet European and national water legislation.
