Incinerator consultation extended

Plans for the incinerator were given conditional approval last year

Residents in East Sussex have been given an extra 20 days to give their views on plans for a waste incinerator.

An advert about the last consultation for the Newhaven site included a minor omission and it was decided people should have more time to comment.

The Environment Agency said it would enable anyone to respond who may have missed the chance to do so previously.

Spokesman Chris Wick said the latest consultation process had so far resulted in around 800 responses.

"In re-opening the consultation, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has written in to date and assure them that their letters are being considered," he said.

Conditional approval

"It is not necessary for people to re-submit their comments. We are particularly grateful to those who have brought this administrative error to our attention."

Plans for the proposed Newhaven incinerator were given conditional approval last year.

Waste firm Veolia, which would operate the plant at North Quay, said the incinerator would generate electricity through burning an estimated 210,000 tonnes of waste a year.

However, environmental campaigners have called for recycling efforts to be stepped up instead.

The Environment Agency said its role was to ensure that if the building of the incinerator went ahead, it was designed and operated to meet "strict controls that ensure a high level of protection for human health and the environment".