Environment First Satellite Depot, Newhaven - FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Latest update | November 2024: Following feedback from residents and time taken to review new options, we have updated proposals for use of the Lewes Road site in Newhaven. The proposals no longer include food waste deposit and transfer at the Newhaven site. Details of the new planning application are available below.

What is the site currently used for?

The site is currently owned by East Sussex County Council and was formerly a household waste and recycling centre. The site has been largely vacant for many years but has sometimes been used for storage.

What is proposed for the future of the site?

We are proposing to use the Lewes Road site as a satellite depot, which would be an extension of the main site in Robinson Road.

The site would be used for the parking and charging of the Council's new electric vehicle fleet. There will also be cycle parking for staff and a container for the limited storage of new wheelie bins.

The satellite depot site will now comprise of:

16 x electric vehicle parking spaces
6 x cycle racks
1 container for storing new clean wheelie bins
A small electricity substation to futureproof the site for its EV charging capability.

The updated proposals no longer include the food waste deposit and transfer proposals that were part of the previous plans for the site. This means the Council will not bring food waste into Newhaven.

Where will food waste deposit and transfer now take place?

From a new opportunity arising, the Council is partnering with specialist waste and recycling management company, Light Bros, based near Lewes for this aspect of the service. Through this partnership and alongside the utilisation of the East Sussex County Council site, we anticipate a marginal overall saving in the delivery of the service.

Has a new planning application be submitted?

Yes. The previous planning application has been withdrawn and a new planning application has been submitted.

The new planning application is now live on the Lewes District Council Planning Portal

The planning application reference number is: LW/24/0689

Why is a satellite depot needed?

The Council has spent many years exploring options for increasing the Robinson Road depot facilities to support the enhanced waste and recycling service. Several sites have been assessed as part of a due diligence process where it was concluded, under a previous administration, that the Robinson Road site remained the best option.

That said, the Robinson Road site is already at operational capacity. There is no safe way to accommodate additional vehicles, which are necessary to meet future service needs.

In 2022/23, an additional site was therefore sourced to meet the needs of the service as close as possible to the main site.

The satellite depot will help to enhance the Environment First service for the benefit of residents. It will provide space to charge our small fleet of quiet electric vans, for a small number of cycle racks for staff bicycles, and to store new refuse wheelie bins.

This will also include a small electricity substation to futureproof the site for its EV charging capability.

Are there plans to re-develop the main Robinson Road site?

Yes.

There are improvements planned to the main Robinson Road site, which were agreed at the Lewes District Council Cabinet meeting on 14 September 2023 as part of a wider strategy to improve waste and recycling services to residents and to provide better welfare for our staff.

Those plans continue to be developed and we aim to share these shortly.

Will there be much noise at the site?

Noise on site will be very low. There will be two main types of activity: electric vehicles and the arrival and departure of staff either cycling or on foot. This will be within sociable hours and mainly in the early afternoon when crews return from collection rounds. There will be occasional movement of clean household bins, which will be stored in a container on site.

What will daily use look like in practice?

Environment First staff will enrol for the day at the main Robinson Road site and walk or cycle to the satellite depot where the electric vehicles will have been left, forward-facing to charge overnight.

Following collections, the EV vans will be cleaned at the main Robinson Road site, as currently occurs, where there are mechanical and manual wash facilities, as well as underground waste water storage and processing facilities, before returning to the satellite depot.

At the end of shift (prior to 3pm), vehicles will be reversed into their designated parking spaces, ready for a forward-facing exit the following morning. Reverse beeping alerts, which warn people nearby of vehicle movements, will not sound for long.

Staff will then walk or cycle back to Robinson Road to check out from their shift.

What additional facilities will be included in the proposals?

A small electricity substation is included in the new proposal to futureproof the site for its EV charging capability. The size of this is about 3m squared and it would be securely positioned at the oppose side of the site to the park and play area.

What is the Council doing to minimise any light pollution?

On-site lighting is to be controlled by a timer circuit with daylight cut off, to ensure hours of use are strictly limited to when needed for safety and security purposes.

12 new smaller LED lamp posts are to be installed with deflectors, that limit the spread of light beyond the site. This is an improvement over the existing taller lamp posts which are being replaced, that had no deflectors and limited controls.

What steps are being taken to address previously voiced concerns about the site?

The satellite depot will be enclosed by enhanced security fencing, which will be screened by existing established and newly planted vegetation, thereby minimising visual impact.

Vehicle trips to and from the satellite depot will not coincide with peak travel or school run times, and will not result in any significant change to traffic in the vicinity of the satellite depot.

Environment First already implement extensive control measures at the Robinson Road main site and will extend these to the proposed new satellite depot in Lewes Road. It is well understood that both sites are near the river and well-loved recreation and nature areas.

How will the new measures change the local profile of the site?

The site has historically been used as a household waste site and, more recently, storage with some extended periods of unmanaged vacancy.

Bringing the site back into use is intended to improve security and dissuade anti-social behaviour often found at unmanaged sites. This is supported by 'Secured by Design' standards, required by condition of planning permission, to improve the proposed satellite depot security and reduce the potential for crime and antisocial behaviour.

The satellite depot will be enclosed by enhanced security fencing, which will be screened by existing established and newly planted vegetation, thereby minimising visual impact.

Improvements will be made to the existing landscaping on the site, specifically to the north of the site by use of planted gabion walls. The southern boundary of the site benefits from existing established trees and vegetation providing screening of the site.

Every effort will be made to ensure the impact of the satellite depot is positive: some ground clearance has already taken place, and there will be further works to include clearance of rubbish and reduction of overgrown weeds.

Where will staff park?

There is no staff parking on the satellite depot. Staff will continue to report to Robinson Road site first thing before walking or cycling to the satellite depot.

Secure cycle storage will be provided.

Will the proposals increase parking available to the public?

No.

The satellite depot will solely be used to support the Council's Environment First service. The land adjacent to the satellite depot will remain in the ownership of East Sussex County Council and is not currently a designated car park.

When will the Planning Committee consider the application?

We expect this to be in January 2025 and will update this page once details are confirmed.

How are you communicating with nearby residents and other stakeholders about the new proposals?

Council officers are hand-delivering letters 81 nearby neighbours and giving them the opportunity to speak to us about the updated proposals.

We are writing to key stakeholders, such as Newhaven Town Council, a local campaign group and the MP.

We are publishing updates on the council website, issuing a press release to the local media and will be sharing the latest news on the council's social media channels.

Residents and other stakeholders can respond to the proposals on the Planning Portal and a link will be provided on this page once the application is validated. They can also write to:

development@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk

6 High Street
Lewes
BN7 2AD

This information is also included in the letters to residents and other stakeholders.