If built, the Woodland Centre would form a major piece in the company's planned new waste treatment infrastructure for the 25-year waste contract it holds with East Sussex county council and Brighton & Hove city council.
 A computer generated image of the Woodland Centre composting facility proposed for Whitesmith |
Located on an underused plot behind an existing timber and wood chipping business in Whitesmith, between Hailsham and Uckfield, the facility is designed to process up to 46,000 tonnes of green waste each year.
The facility would include sealed tunnels which would subject material to forced aeration and watering over a two-week period before it is then matured in enclosed windrows for a minimum of six weeks. The process would be semi-automated with controlled conditions.
There would also be wood chipping capabilities on the Whitesmith site.
Product
Composted material would then be turned into an organic soil conditioner, and Onyx hopes to gain accreditation from the Soil Association for the public to be used by the public as happens to Onyx Hampshire's successful “Pro-Grow” product.
 Onyx has submitted an environmental report to show the proposed facility minimises its impact on the natural environment |
Onyx hopes to begin construction in Spring 2006 if planning permission is granted, with the site then opening a year later to process green waste collected from household waste recycling centres in the area.
The facility's planning statement, prepared by consultant Scott Wilson, said the proposed site is located centrally with respect to household waste recycling centres providing the green waste. It says the project therefore meets the terms of the proximity principle, which states that waste should be treated near to point of origin.
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