Planning that relates to waste and minerals sites, for example recycling plants and gravel extraction, are dealt with at a county level in waste and minerals plans.

In East Sussex, East Sussex County Council, Brighton and Hove City Council and the South Downs National Park Authority have a joint Waste and Minerals Local Plan. The Waste and Minerals Plan which contains an overarching strategy and general development policies was adopted in 2013 and reviewed in 2024.

In West Sussex, West Sussex County Council and the South Downs National Park authority jointly adopted a Waste Local Plan that includes strategic objectives, development management policies and six site allocations. 

These plans undergo the same public consultation process as for a Local Plan and we do our best to comment at each stage to ensure wildlife has a voice. Here are some examples of interventions we have made to help make sure biodiversity is considered within these plans:

•   Comments on West Sussex Minerals Plan Background Papers ( 150KB)
•   Comments on East Sussex Waste and Minerals Site Plan ( 134KB)