A recycling plant is being proposed in response to tough new laws banning the dumping of used tyres in landfill sites.

There are fears that the European rules, which come into force next year, will result in tyres being left by the roadside or in beauty spots.

West Sussex councillors are being asked to approve the development at a general industrial unit close to Crawley town centre, where thousands of tyres would be shredded.

The process would involve converting an estimated 6,000 tonnes of rubber a year into a form of crumb that can be sold to the equestrian industry for use on gallops and in arenas.

The plan has already won strong backing from the Environment Agency and is being recommended to a meeting of the county council's planning committee on July 9.

A report by two senior officers says the unit in Spindle Way, Three Bridges, is close to many businesses which generate significant amounts of used tyres.

Planning chief John Kilford and Mark Hammond, the county's director for environment and development, told councillors: "There is an urgent need for more facilities able to recycle tyres due to the European Directive, which bans the landfill of whole tyres from 2003.

Councillors have been told any steel left over from the recycling process would be kept in skips before being sent to Chatham docks, from where it would be shipped to Holland and sold as scrap.

But some neighbouring business are concerned about the effects the development would have.

Chris Bridges, facilities manager at TSC Music Systems in Spindle Way, said: "Our main concerns relating to any proposed change of use revolve around access, storage and noise.

"Spindle Way is a busy cul-de-sac and we would imagine the proposed business would involved large lorries delivering used tyres to the site.

"We would not wish to see any storage of used tyres on the forecourt of the property, which is directly opposite our premises and would certainly detract from the area."

Council officers said there had been representations about increased traffic but pointed out the operation would involve about 12 lorry movements a day in an area already used to this type of traffic.