VIDEO: Fears over plans for a village tyre recycling centre

Proposals to convert a farm barn into a tyre recycling centre have sparked fears of pollution and traffic hazards among people living nearby.

Southern Tyre Recycling is seeking planning approval from West Sussex County Council to change the use of the barn at Maple Farm in Marches Road, Warnham, into a warehouse for the storage and distribution of tyres.

But worried local residents have formed a protest group following fears that the proposals will lead to pollution, noise and increased traffic in the village.

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Bob Day, whose home is near the site, said that the quiet rural location was ‘totally unsuitable’ for a business operation of the type proposed which would generate, he said, an extra 200 vehicle movements a week, including shipping-container articulated lorries, on country roads.

“I am concerned that the whole planning system is weighted heavily in favour of business, but this is a country area,” he said. “The only other businesses are farms and smallholdings.”

In a protest letter to the county council, another resident - Ronald Pavey, of Mayes Lane - said the tyre recycling centre would create ‘unacceptable pollution’ with odours, noise and chemicals, as well as light pollution.

It would also, he said, lead to increased traffic on the nearby A24 and A29 roads.

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Fellow protester David Segal, of Bognor Road, described the proposed recycling unit, which borders ancient woodland, as ‘an eyesore on the environment.’ And Ken and Janet Farnfield described the proposals as ‘totally unsuitable’ in a quiet rural spot.

Meanwhile, the watchdog group the Campaign To Protect Rural England, has told the county council that Southern Tyre Recycling has provided insufficient information on its proposals. It maintains that details of noise and lighting from the site have not been assessed, and that no air quality assessment had been made.