5th February

East Sussex County Council's plans for a controversial and unpopular landfill scheme were yesterday slammed on the floor of the Commons by Lewes MP Norman Baker.

Mr Baker challenged the government to discourage East Sussex County Council from going ahead with the scheme, which has been met with significant local opposition.

Norman Baker told the Commons:

"Will the government take steps to discourage East Sussex County Council from creating landraise mountains in the countryside?

"In this day and age is it not unbelievable - and appalling - that my Conservative county council wants to build 60-acre wide and 80-foot high waste mountains in the lovely Sussex countryside? Will he draw the council's attention to the Government's waste hierarchy and suggest that it moves from the 15th century to the 21st?"

Environment Minister Dan Norris responded by stating:

"The Government's priority is to reduce the amount of waste we produce. Landfilling, of which landraising is a form, should always be the last resort. The truth is that we need to reduce, recycle and reuse at every possible opportunity, and allowing waste to go into landfill is not a good thing.

"The Secretary of State for the Environment (Hilary Benn) and I both went to Sussex University, so we are very familiar with the beauty of the area, and we recognise people's anger."

Lib Dem Norman Baker later commented:

"Land raise as a method of waste disposal is simply unacceptable in the modern age. If this scheme goes ahead, it will not only create a terrible eyesore, but will have disastrous environmental consequences.

"East Sussex County Council must face up to the fact that this is an ill-conceived and unwanted plan. I am pleased that the government have expressed concern about the use of landraising, and I will continue to campaign against this scheme."

Norman Baker House of Commons