Waste collection depot at Escc, Escc Highways Dept Yard, 4 Elva Way, Bexhill-on-Sea

What was proposed

The application proposed a new storage and servicing building, welfare facilities and related infrastructure for weekly food waste collection.

“The site is situated in an area of established commercial use, and its current lawful use is as a highways depot which falls within the 'Sui Generis' use class. The proposal involves redeveloping the site to accommodate facilities required for the Council’s new statutory service i.e. weekly food waste collection, which will commence in March 2026.”

Officer report

What consultees said

Highways had no objection, ecology requested more biodiversity information, environmental health supported noise conditions, and the town council gave no response.

“Comments summarised as follows: • As currently presented the Ecology team recommends refusal pending further information relating to Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and the red line boundary (RLB). • Three trees (one dead, two living) will be removed; these are outside the amended RLB but are shown as lost in the BNG Metric under the ‘Off-Site Habitat Baseline’ tab.”

“Latest comments summarised as follows (additional consultation): • Subsequent to the submission of the document entitled ‘Noise Statement,’ Environmental Health has advised that, based on the information…”

Officer report

What people said

No local resident objections were received, and members considered comments from statutory and non-statutory bodies.

“Members of the Planning Committee had visited the site and heard a representation from the Applicant. It was the Council’s statutory duty to deliver a Waste Collection service across the district. It was noted that no ‘objections’ had been received from local residents. Consideration was also given to the comments made by the statutory and non- statutory bodies as detailed within the report.”

Minutes

Who spoke

The committee heard a representation from the applicant after visiting the site.

The committee vote

A motion to grant permission with conditions was seconded and carried unanimously, with seven members voting in favour.

“Councillor Stanger moved the motion to GRANT (Full Planning Permission) subject to conditions, including landscaping (planting native species) and the colour palette used to mitigate the impact of this relatively tall building; wording to be delegated to officers in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Committee. This was seconded by Councillor Chowdhury. The motion was declared CARRIED (7 for / unanimous).”

Minutes