Controversial Ford incinerator plans postponed

Grundon Waste Management had put forward the plans for the former Tarmac Topblock site on Ford Airfield Industrial Estate.

However, on Tuesday (June 3), members of West Sussex County Council’s planning committee postponed their judgement. Some three hours into the meeting, councillors voted in favour of the delay.

The extra time will allow officers to address concerns about access to the site, noise, loss of amenity and the impact suggestions of a change to operational hours would have.

Objections were raised to the application by residents, as well as Ford Parish Council.

Trevor Ford, chairman of Ford Parish Council, said: “This is a rural area and this would have a massive effect on the community. It would dramatically alter people’s lives.”

Other issues raised included highways concerns – in particular, increased HGV traffic, public health worries and damage to the everyday lives of residents.

These concerns were shared by some committee members. Councillors were not happy with the entry and access routes for the site, a concern which, along with the route lorries would take to get to the site, was raised by Climping Parish Council when they objected to the application. The parish council suggested an alternative route

Under the plans, which were recommended for approval, Grundon wants to burn a mixture of waste materials, including plastics, and has already been given a certificate of lawfulness to store waste at the site.

It would handle 200,000 tonnes of largely commercial and industrial waste at the site per year.

Speaking outside the meeting, Mr Ian Wilkinson, the senior manager at the Flying Fortress, said: “This plan would see the number of car spaces at the Flying Fortress cut from around 148 to 44. That is not enough, last week (during half-term) the car park was full.

“Where are they supposed to park? If customers can’t park, they won’t come and that will damage, if not close, the business.”

Mr Wilkinson said he was extremely worried about safety. “It would only be a matter of time before an accident, God forbid, I have already had customers saying they won’t be meeting here anymore,” he said.