Landfill protesters stop the traffic

Some 60 placard-waving demonstrators stood and sat in the middle of Lewes High Street for five minutes during the rush hour before making their way into the East Sussex County Council's waste plan public inquiry.

Their message was clear - Bexhill has had enough of being the county dumping ground!

BALI's (Bexhill Against Landfill and Incineration) appearance at the inquiry was the culmination of a year of protest, petition-gathering and fundraising and the group pulled out all the stops against the full might of the county council, which is determined for the proposal to remain in the plan.

Inspector David Tester heard from eight residents how a landfill site at the Brickworks would ruin their quality of life and blot the town for future generations. Pollution, health risks, noise, traffic, smell, environmental impact and planning blight were all given as reasons why the proposal should be scrapped.

Residents said Bexhill has taken more than its fair share of the county's waste at Pebsham and now it's someone else's turn.

They were backed up by highly-complicated environmental, technical and legal arguments from planning consultant Alan Watson, hired by BALI as an expert witness.