New £4.5m wetland near West Sussex village: Southern Water reveals plans for project the size of two football pitches

The company said the wetland would be the size of two football pitches (3.2 acres) and help treatment at the site.

Southern Water also said the wetland would be a ‘nature-based’ solution to reducing Phosphorus into nearby watercourses.

Project manager Cécile Stanford said: “This is a really important project that will have clear benefits in improving biodiversity and is a natural way of treating wastewater.

"This project will also help educate future generations about the benefit of wetlands.”

Southern Water said wetlands use water tolerant plants as a filter to remove contaminants from wastewater while absorbing and storing carbon.

The wetland next to Cuckfield Road will treat wastewater from the current treatment works.

This will feed the wetland at one end, filter through the wetland and remove effluent at the other end.

The company said the wetland’s creation has been carefully planned and a feasibility study has been carried out, along with groundwater risk assessments and environmental planning.

West Sussex County Council are set to look at the plans and Southern Water expects work to start in May if they are approved.

The contractor would be GTb, which is a joint venture between Galliford Try Environment and Binnies UK Ltd installing new equipment at Cuckfield Wastewater Treatment Works.

GTb project manager, Lee McGrattan said: “As a joint venture company we are really excited to be part of this project.

"This will be the first wetland project we are working on and it will be fantastic to see it flourish in the future.”