Approval Granted for Liquid Petroleum Gas Storage in West Sussex

An application seeking permission to store up to 49 tonnes of liquid petroleum gas at a location in West Sussex has been approved. The application, submitted by Four Seasons Fuel for its site in Coneyhurst Road, Billingshurst, was reviewed by Horsham District Council’s planning committee on Tuesday. This consent was required because the two 14-tonne cylinders intended to hold the fuel exceed the 25-tonne threshold. The cylinders are already present on the site but currently lack planning permission. The council received 11 objections to the application, with concerns primarily focused on fire safety risks. A fire at the depot in 2011 resulted in dozens of people being evacuated from their homes. However, officers informed the meeting that the Health & Safety Executive – which is mandated to be consulted in such cases – had evaluated the risks to the surrounding area’s population. Their assessment found the risks to be “small” with “no significant reasons” on safety grounds to refuse consent, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Further concerns revolved around the impact of smoke and noise on nearby residents, the over-development of the site, and road safety.