Newhaven was today named as the best site for a huge sewage works to serve the Brighton and Hove area.

East Sussex county councillors agreed if Southern Water loses its current appeal to build the works on the existing Portobello site at Telscombe Cliffs, then the development should take place at one of three sites in Newhaven.

Immediately after the decision by the council's

planning and highways sub-committee, Coun David Neighbour, the current mayor of Telscombe, went to the Portobello inquiry at Peacehaven to give the inquiry inspector the news.

The Portobello inquiry follows the refusal by East Sussex County Council to give planning permission for the works in an area of outstanding beauty at Telscombe.

The inquiry is also looking at

alternative sites.

Today's decision means that if Southern Water loses its appeal to expand its Portobello works at Telscombe, then it will have to look at three alternative sites in Newhaven.

All are close to the docks at Newhaven on land ready for development.

Two are next to each other on the east side of the docks, off the road close to the railway line and Newhaven Harbour station.

The other site is further up the River Ouse on the North Quay.

Southern Water already owns part of the site off Beach Road, known as the Newhaven East site, and already has a smaller type of works nearby.

Planning officers of East Sussex County Council had previously steered Southern Water and councillors away from building at Newhaven on the grounds that a new works could not be fitted in to Newhaven because of the area required and it would affect the economic regeneration of the port.

But the report by Bob Wilkins, director of transport and environment at East Sussex, said it would be possible to build a sewage treatment plant on two hectares of land at either Newhaven East or Newhaven North Quay.

East Sussex County councillors and planning officials have always been at odds over a site for the sewage treatment works.

Southern Water has to find a new site for the works, which pumps treated sewage out into the Channel, to comply with European regulations requiring cleaner water.

As Coun Neighbour left today's East Sussex meeting to go to the inquiry, he told the Argus: "I think councillors were initially misled by planners who said that a sewage treatment works could not be fitted into a suitable site at Newhaven.

"Now it is clear that a sewage works can be built without affecting the

economic regeneration of the port, which everyone in Sussex wants to see."

John Livings, county councillor for Peacehaven, told the meeting: "Portobello has never been the most sustainable site and that should have been made clear far earlier."

Richard Partridge, the assistant county secretary, said: "I want to make it clear these sites at Newhaven are not being proposed by the county council. We are saying they may have less objections. We are not saying planning permission will be granted."

David Fitton, district and town councillor and deputy mayor of Newhaven, said: "The economic regeneration of the port is just beginning to bite.

"We don't want it spoiled by a huge sewage treatment works.

"We fought off the incinerator and I call upon the people of Newhaven to fight again if it turns out a large sewage treatment works is scheduled for Newhaven."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.