Agenda and minutes

The Members had before them:

A.    The Agenda papers (previously circulated); and

B.    The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2022 (previously circulated).

Apologies were received from Cllrs Martin Allen, Peter Griffiths, Jack Satterthwaite, Kit Taylor, Richard Udall.

Cllr Mel Allcott substituted for Cllr Richard Udall.

None.

The Council has put in place arrangements which usually allow one speaker each on behalf of objectors, the applicant and supporters of applications to address the Committee.  Speakers are chosen from those who have made written representations and expressed a desire to speak at the time an application is advertised.  Where there are speakers, presentations are made as part of the consideration of each application.

None.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2022. (previously circulated)

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2022 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee considered the proposed importation of inert restoration material and extraction of sand to enable engineering operations for stability purposes and completion of site restoration at (western portion of the former) Sandy Lane Quarry, Wildmoor, Worcestershire.

The report set out the background of the proposal, the proposal itself, the relevant planning policy and details of the site, consultations and representations.

The report set out the Head of Planning and Transport Planning’s comments in relation to Worcestershire's landbank of sand and gravel reserves, Sieve test / methodology, Alternatives, Green Belt, Landscape Character, Visual Impacts and Historic Environment, Residential Amenity (including noise, odour, dust, air quality, vibration, lighting and health impacts), Traffic, highway safety and impacts upon Public Rights of Way, Water environment including flooding, Ecology, Biodiversity and Geodiversity, Restoration and Aftercare, Other matters – Cumulative Effects, Utilities, Monitoring and enforcement, Economic Impact, Climate Change, Obligations under the Equality Act 2010, EIA Team and Expertise, and other points.

The Head of Planning and Transport Planning concluded that the proposed development was a historic quarry which was no longer operational and had not been restored. The previous works on this site resulted in an exposed face which acted as a retaining wall between the void subject to this application, and the Veolia Sandy Lane landfill located immediately east of the site. The applicant stated that the quarry face was unstable, therefore, they were proposing this development.

The proposed development would take approximately six years, and would comprise of the following key elements:

·      Removal of approximately 245,000 tonnes of sand over a three-year period to allow for a buttress of material to be keyed into the base of the site for stabilisation purposes;

·      Importation of approximately 975,000 cubic metres of inert materials (which equates to approximately 1.0 – 1.2 million tonnes) over a period of six years;

·      Stabilising the exposed face of the eastern part of the quarry with a buttress wall; and

·      Restoration of the western part of the quarry.

Operations would take place in the existing quarry void and would involve the creation of a temporary soil bund to protect the amenity of nearby properties whilst the engineering and restoration operations take place. It was proposed that approximately 17,000 cubic metres (which equates to approximately 19,500 tonnes) of soils would be imported to facilitate the creation of the soil bund.

The applicant stated that the extracted sand would not be processed on site, it would be lifted and exported from the site “as raised”. Therefore, there was no requirement to erect or install fixed processing plant on-site. It was expected that the sand extracted on-site would mainly be used as engineering grade fill, most likely at construction sites from which the inert materials imported to the application site originated.

A restoration scheme to improve the visual appearance of the site and to blend the western area into the wider restored Sandy Lane Quarry and former landfill would be implemented as part of this proposal.

Worcestershire's landbank of sand and gravel  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1102.