An incinerator could be built at North Quay, in Newhaven

East Sussex County Council on Wednesday approved a �1bn contract for firm Onyx Aurora to dispose of all household waste in East Sussex over the next 25 years.

In order to do so, the company proposes building one incinerator at North Quay, Newhaven, by 2009, with a potential second site at Pebsham, near Bexhill, or at Mountfield, near Battle, in the future.

No definite decision can be made until the conclusion of a public inquiry into East Sussex County Council's waste local plan, due to start in May.

National park gateway

But residents have vowed to carry on the fight to stop the plants being built.

David Rogers, Liberal Democrat councillor for Newhaven, believes the incinerator should be built closer to Brighton and Hove, which produce most of the county's waste.

He said: "Newhaven is the gateway to the new proposed national park and if you see that against the setting of the Downs behind the town, I think it will be visually very intrusive.

"That's not to mention all the lorry movements. all the traffic that would be bringing the rubbish from Brighton and Hove and other parts of the county.

Mr Rogers says waste should be treated closer to Brighton

"We just don't think it's the right place and the site should be nearer where the rubbish is being generated."

East Sussex County Council has earmarked a relatively rural site at Mountfield for a potential second incinerator.

And although Onyx Aurora has said it does not intend to build a plant there, residents are concerned it may become an option in the future.

Giles Stokoe, of Mountfield Heritage Group, said: "Even if the developer doesn't build something here straight away, it's still on the cards as the preferred site for the council.

"With any future development, the council would be trying to push it on to this site here - so we have to continue fighting to get it taken off their list."

Onyx Aurora has said that if a second incinerator is needed by 2009, it would probably seek to build it in Pebsham.