If Aggregate Industries ever won permission to quarry Straitgate Farm, local people should keep an eye on the four watercourses emanating from the site - two of which flow through ancient woodland. This is what happened to one construction company recently:
...the Environment Agency discovered a brown discharge downstream of the site after a member of the public reported seeing discoloured water. Further investigations by the regulator found local damage to the watercourse, a tributary of the River Rother in Burwash, East Sussex.
Giving evidence at Lewes Crown Court, the agency told the judge that this was an isolated incident, lasting just 25 minutes, and the overall performance of Interserve Construction was ‘good’ throughout its 18-month contract with South East Water. The agency said there was no evidence that local wildlife was adversely affected by the discharge.
David Willis, environment manager at the agency, said: ‘We take these incidents very seriously and do everything within our powers to safeguard the environment and people that may be affected.’
Interserve was fined £54,000, with costs of £5,955.
Of course, the costs associated with polluting drinking water sources for over 100 people would be in a different league altogether.
