East Worthing depot row

An application by the Rossett Beck Group to work through the night at its new depot on the corner of Dale Road and Meadow Road was given the go-ahead by the council on Tuesday, despite strong local opposition.

Councillors said the company could operate their commercial vehicle workshop for 24 hours a day on a year's trial to see if it could meet the list of conditions attached.

A meeting organised by the company at The Windsor Hotel last week was only expected to attract 20 people, but more than 80 turned up to show their fury at the proposed 24-hour working through the week.

East Worthing MP Tim Loughton, Selden councillors, the East Worthing Action Group and residents all attended.

Robert Maxwell, managing director of Rossett Beck, told the angry crowd he was "overwhelmed by the turnout".

Residents who attended the meeting attacked Rossetts over its claims the workshop wouldn't cause their house prices to drop and traffic and noise pollution would not increase. The company already has a smaller depot in the area.

Mr Maxwell said during the meeting: "All we want to do is build a nice site to upgrade that corner of Dale Road to increase house values. We are not intending to do any more business and no more vehicles than we do at our other Dale Road site now. We intend to have all vehicles in the workshop by 7pm.

"We have five sites in total at Aldershot, Guildford, Eastbourne, Worthing and Arundel and we have got to upgrade them all."

Furious residents asked Mr Maxwell why Rossetts needed to build a workshop of this nature in a residential area.

He said: "We have been in the area for 20 years now, which is a lot longer than many of you.

"It is going to be built, you cannot stop it anyway because we already have planning permission. All we can try to do is work with you to get what you want. We are here tonight to try and make some kind of arrangement."

During the meeting last Wednesday, residents were interrupting each other to try and ask questions and get their points across and many started to leave when they realised they were not getting anywhere.

The East Worthing Action Group decided after the meeting to try and work with the company.

At the planning meeting on Tuesday councillors expressed their concerns about the workshop, which included the doors being opened on hot evenings and an increase in traffic.

Councillor Christine Brown said: "The poor people of this area are beleaguered. They suffer from noise and pollution. The roads are inadequate and there is not a lot of off-street parking which makes it 10 times worse. I am really unhappy about this."

The plans were given permission, subject to conditions and a 12-month test period.

Chairman of the planning committee, Bob Clare, said: "It is up to the public to let us know before the application is up again if the company does step out of line."

After the meeting, Jack Saheid, of the Selden ward Conservative team, said: "Everyone is disgusted with the outcome. Let's hope when they make another application it is refused."