A new ‘green’ plan for dealing with waste and minerals could lead to the need for landfill in the East Sussex area virtually disappearing within three years.

The blueprint, which outlines how authorities tackle waste through the planning process, has been adopted by East Sussex County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council and the South Downs National Park Authority.

The plan, which includes some of the most ambitious targets in the country for waste recovery, will support residents and businesses in cutting waste and aims to render landfill virtually redundant by 2015-16.

The area’s one existing landfill site, at Pebsham, near Hastings, is not expected to be replaced once full.

Keith Glazier, deputy leader of East Sussex County Council, said: “Adoption of the plan is the culmination of several years’ work which has included extensive consultation with people and businesses.

“Importantly, the plan does not include any new landfill sites and will encourage much greater recovery of material and energy from waste from businesses in the near future.”

The plan, which has received the backing of a Government planning inspector, covers East Sussex, Brighton & Hove and areas of the South Downs National Park within those areas.

Phélim MacCafferty, deputy leader for Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “This is a considerable achievement as less than half of the waste planning authorities in England have adopted waste plans under the current system.

“We now have a plan that will help us minimise waste and which demonstrates the successful positive collaboration between the three authorities.

“In Brighton & Hove we are focused on reducing as much waste as possible and providing as much support as we can to encourage everyone to play their part in saving resources.”

Andrew Shaxson, chairman of the South Downs National Parks Authority’s planning committee, said: “We’ve worked closely with East Sussex and Brighton & Hove to get the right tools in place to protect the landscape, environment and communities of the National Park.

“This plan will help to guide major waste and mineral developments away from protected landscapes.”

The plan, which will be used by the authorities as the basis for determining planning applications for waste and minerals-related development, can be found online at http://consult.eastsussex.gov.uk/portal