Agenda and draft minutes

The Members had before them:

A.    The Agenda papers (previously circulated);

B.    A copy of the summary presentations from the public participants invited to speak (previously circulated); and

C.   The Minutes of the meetings held on 25 and 31 October 2022 (previously circulated).

Apologies were received from Cllrs Martin Allen, Andy Fry, David Ross and Jack Satterthwaite.

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.

Those presentations made are recorded at the minute to which they relate.

To confirm the Minutes of the meetings held on 25 October and 31 October 2022. (previously circulated)

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meetings held on 25 October 2022 and 31 October 2022 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee considered the proposed retention of existing facilities, operations and access; the installation of a wash plant and associated infrastructure for the processing of inert materials, to produce recovered aggregate and soils; the relocation of the waste sorting shed, workshop permitted under planning permission ref: 18/000048/CM, and provision of a new site office at Long Marston Works, Long Marston Road, Long Marston, near Stratford- Upon-Avon.

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 the Waste Hierarchy, Location of the Development, Landscape Character, Visual Impacts and Historic Environment, Residential Amenity (Noise, Dust and Air Quality), Traffic and Highway Safety, Water Environment, and Ecology and Biodiversity.

The Head of Planning and Transport Planning concluded that as the proposed development would include the collection, recycling and reuse of soils and inert wastes generated from building projects and would facilitate the bulking up of various sources of waste in preparation for transfer and subsequent recycling by specialist operators, it would comply with the objectives of the waste hierarchy and Policy WCS 2 and help to address the capacity gap identified in the Waste Core Strategy, and Policy MLP 13 of the Worcestershire Minerals Local Plan, and Policy SWDP 32 of the South Worcestershire Development Plan in relation to contributing to the supply of recycled aggregate.

In terms of location, although the development site was sited within Level 5 'All other areas' of the Geographic Hierarchy, it was considered that the principle of the development in this location had already been established by the granting of planning permission CPA Ref: 18/000048/CM, which was considered to be ancillary to the existing MRW waste management site and that it would improve the working conditions by providing new buildings, secure compounds and more space for the management of waste, thereby improving staff welfare and enabling greater working efficiency. The proposed aggregates recycling facility would refine current operations at the site and enable the recovery of material that would normally be landfilled. The diversification of the product range on an existing and established site would enable MRW to meet current market demand for aggregate materials, the applicant stated that MRW would attract new business from the construction sector. In addition, the proposed aggregate recycling facility would be ancillary to the existing waste management operations. In view of this, it was considered that the proposal would comply with Policy WCS 3 of the Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy. As the proposed development would be located on existing industrial land with current use rights for waste management purposes and would be ancillary to the existing and permitted waste management facility, it was considered the proposal complies with Policy WCS 6 of the Waste Core Strategy.

The Head of Planning and Transport Planning was satisfied that the proposed development would support the growth of an existing waste management facility in an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1120.