Loxwood Clay Pits Limited are preparing to apply for planning permission for a Construction Materials Recycling Facility plus Mineral Extraction in the Pallinghurst Woods in Loxwood.

The site is located in the middle of a beautiful HEAVILY WOODED AREA with LOADS OF WILDLIFE, and close to ancient woodland. This makes it an irreplaceable habitat important for its wildlife, soils, recreational value and cultural, historical and landscape value.

Woods like these take  years to establish and once they are gone, they are gone.

This is a very frightening application as development  of this scale in the woods can potentially affect old woodlands, ancient and veteran trees, and the wildlife they support on the site or nearby.

This is also a very concerning application in terms of health and safety including safety on public rights of way, road safety, and the potential side effects of industrial noise and dust pollution.

We understand that the application could lead up to a substantial number of lorry movements per day, 6 days per week. That could mean that existing PUBLIC Highways could eventually be needed to be widened and reinforced for predicted HGVs - considerably number of lorry movements per day, with the site being operational 5/6 days a week for 33 years.

Families with children, residents and visitors, walkers and cyclists make extensive use of the established public right of way on the site.

We understand that there's a strong possibility for the lorries needing to utilise the established forestry transport infrastructure which could struggle to cope with the weigh and bulk of 32 tonne HGVs.

In this scenario it is also to be expected that trucks would exit via Loxwood road on a narrow section of the road that in our view (the view of in our own experience as community members who live there or walk, cycle, drive along that section of the road daily) is not wide enough or safe enough for these movements.

We therefore ask West Sussex County Council  to REJECT this application when submitted on the grounds of:

- Loss of  woodland, the potential side effects of Industrial Noise, Safety on Public Rights of Way and Extensive Environmental Damage. 

DISCLAIMER: We acknowledge that the agent for the proposed applicant has presented outline opinion and  information for clarification purposes in recent webinars, to understandibly argue and build their case. This includes for example *their* claim that no ancient woodland will be cleared for this development that is going in the woods or *their* claim that footpaths don't need to be widened to accommodate 31 tonnes lorries (!) - but community members remain seriously concerned on what could potentially end up happening if permission was granted to build such a development which involves such a number of lorry movements in the middle of the woods . If you are still concerned too, please do sign this petition. 

The formal application will be presented to West Sussex County Council and that will be the official document.

For more info please visit www.stoptheclaypit.org