Knights Farm West

Knights Farm West is a proposed council-led employment and infrastructure hub on the fringes of Hailsham, combining a modern waste operations depot with an on-site solar farm and future employment land.

The scheme will replace an outdated depot at Amberstone, support new waste services and unlock a major employment park in a highly accessible A22 corridor location.

Background

Our existing Amberstone Waste Depot was built in the 1960s and is now at full capacity, with no room for expansion.

There is also a shortage of modern employment space, particularly in locations with good access to transport routes.

To address both challenges, we acquired land north of Hailsham in 2020 for employment-led development. Cabinet subsequently agreed that the site should be progressed as a new waste operations depot, solar farm and wider employment park, maximising the potential.

Objectives and outcomes

The project has three core objectives:

To deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose waste operations depot
To generate clean energy via an on-site solar farm
To unlock a high-quality employment park that supports local jobs and economic growth.

The new depot will provide:

Offices and welfare facilities
A vehicle workshop
Bin storage and wash bay
Secure yard space for over 30 collection vehicles
Staff car and cycle parking
Appropriate landscaping

The adjoining ground-mounted solar farm is designed to power depot operations. Surplus electricity will then be exported to the grid or used by future on-site businesses.

Longer term, the wider Knights Farm West Employment Park will provide modern business premises an accessible A22 location, supporting our economic strategy.

Project delivery & key stages

In 2020, we acquired the site because of its potential for employment use. In October 2021, Cabinet agreed to move forward with plans and since then, work has focused on the first phase: a modern waste operations depot and solar farm.

Early design has been carried out in partnership with Biffa, ensuring the new facilities support efficient operations, safe vehicle movements and good staff welfare.

Key steps have included feasibility work on layout and site access, phase II ground investigations and the appointment of technical consultants.

Sustainability has been embedded from the outset through solar PV, air source heat pumps, battery storage and potential rainwater re-use for vehicle washing.

Phase 1, including the depot and the solar farm, was submitted to Majors Planning Committee and received full planning permission in July 2026.

The anticipated delivery of phase I is early 2028, with the wider Knights Farm West Employment Park anticipated to come forward in later phases after local government reorganisation in April 2028.

Impact and results

Once delivered, the depot will replace the current Amberstone facility with a modern, efficient base for waste services, enabling us and Biffa to handle increased volumes and an expanded service area. This will help maintain reliable collections for residents, support the roll-out of food waste collection and provide better working conditions for staff.

The co-located solar farm will significantly reduce the operational carbon footprint of the depot, generate clean electricity and demonstrate our commitment to net zero through practical, asset-based projects.

In the longer term, the wider employment park is expected to attract businesses needing good access along the A22 corridor between Eastbourne, Hailsham, Uckfield and London, bringing new jobs and investment to the area.

By bringing a strategic site into active use for essential infrastructure, renewable energy and employment, the scheme makes efficient use of land, supports local economic resilience and exemplifies the council’s strategy of using its own assets to improve health and wellbeing, promote renewable energy and support community services.

Links and further information

Find out more about the Knights Farm West Employment Park

View the Planning Application information for this project