Agenda item

The Committee considered a proposed waste wood recycling and expansion of existing composting facility at Croome Farm, Croome D'Abitot, Severn Stoke, 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 the Waste Hierarchy, Location of the development, Traffic and Highways Safety, Historic Environment, Ecology and Biodiversity, Landscape and Visual Impact, Residential Amenity, Water Environment including Flooding and Other Matters – Economic impact and Human Rights Act 1998.

 

The Head of Planning and Transport Planning concluded that the Croome Composting facility was an existing 'recycling' facility as defined in the Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy and the proposed extension would enable the management of green waste to be diverted from landfill (disposal) moving waste up the waste hierarchy. Furthermore, the Head of Planning and Transport Planning considered that as the proposed development would also involve the processing and bulking up of wood waste in preparation for transfer and subsequent recycling by specialist operators it would comply with the objectives of the waste hierarchy, helping towards achieving sustainable waste management.

 

The Head of Planning and Transport Planning considered that there would be strong justification for locating a relatively small expansion of an existing open windrow composting operation to include waste wood recycling on a former airfield by virtue of the demonstrable benefits of the location, including the suitability of the concrete base for the composting, subject to conditions and the site's distance from sensitive receptors. The Head of Planning and Transport Planning was, therefore, satisfied that the principle of the location of the development had already been established and that the proposal was considered to be consistent with the objectives and Policies WCS 3 and WCS 6 of the Waste Core Strategy.

 

In terms of traffic and highways safety, concerns raised regarding control of the existing northern access and the safety of the proposed southern access had been reviewed by the County Highways Officer, who had no objections to the proposal. It was considered that a condition should be imposed to limit the northern access to an emergency access, and for primary access to be from the southern access point only. This condition would also require a sign to be erected at the site directing drivers to exit the site to the south and to turn left towards the A4104.  Subject to the imposition of this condition, and conditions limiting the operational hours, restricting the throughput of waste material and requiring an updated Traffic Management Plan, the Head of Planning and Transport Planning considered that the proposal would be acceptable in terms of traffic and highways safety.

 

The Head of Planning and Transport Planning considered that as the proposal would move waste up the waste hierarchy, increasing the amount of waste material that could be recycled, the public benefits of the proposal outweighed the less than substantial harm to the heritage asset. Based on the advice of the District Conservation Officer, Historic England, the County Landscape Officer, the Garden Trust, the National Trust, and the County and District Archaeologists, it was considered that the proposed development would not have a detrimental impact upon heritage assets subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions.

 

The Head of Planning and Transport Planning considered that the proposal would not have an unacceptable adverse impact on ecology and biodiversity at the site or on the wider area subject to the imposition of conditions relating to drainage, timing of the demolition of buildings and structures to avoid the bird breeding season, installation of bird and bat boxes and a statement of conformity.

 

Based on the advice of the County Landscape Officer, the Head of Planning and Transport Planning considered that the proposed development would not have an unacceptable impact upon the character and appearance of the local area.

 

Based on the advice of the County Public Health Practitioner, EA and Worcestershire Regulatory Services, the Head of Planning and Transport Planning considered that the proposal would have no adverse impact on residential amenity or that of human health, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions.

 

The Head of Planning and Transport Planning considered that the proposal would not have an unacceptable adverse impact on the water environment or flooding, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions.

 

Taking into account the provisions of the Development Plan and in particular Policies WCS 1, WCS 2, WCS 3, WCS 6, WCS 8, WCS 9, WCS 10, WCS 11, WCS 12, WCS 14 and WCS 15 of the Adopted Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy and Policies SWDP 1, SWDP 2, SWDP 3, SWDP 4, SWDP 5, SWDP 6, SWDP 8, SWDP 12, SWDP 21, SWDP 22, SWDP 24, SWDP 25, SWDP 28, SWDP 29, SWDP 30 and SWDP 31 of the Adopted South Worcestershire Development Plan, it was considered the proposal would not cause demonstrable harm to the interests intended to be protected by these policies or highway safety.

 

The representative of the Head of Planning and Transport Planning introduced the report and added that the noise assessment had taken account of the impact on neighbouring properties.

 

Phil Troughton and Andrew Troughton were present at the meeting on behalf of the applicant to answer any technical questions.

 

In the ensuing debate, the following points were made:

 

·         A local councillor indicated that he supported the application. He was aware that Defford Parish Council did not support the application but that an odour assessment had been carried out which alleviated their concerns in this respect. The additional vehicle movements were not excessive. This would be a beneficial addition to the recycling facilities in the county. The removal of the building on site was welcomed. The nearest residential properties were 550 and 600 metres away from the site and the site was well screened

·         A local councillor requested that members satisfied themselves that the issues raised by Severn Stoke Parish Council had been addressed. He welcomed the applicant’s commitment to set up a log of vehicle movements. He requested that the neighbouring parish council clerks be provided with a contact telephone number to raise issues with the applicant. The representatives of the applicant agreed to establish a contact number accordingly

·         It was queried why no reference was made to Class B waste in the report. The representative of the Head of Planning and Transport Planning responded that waste took on the lowest denominating category. Therefore if you had any Class B waste and combined it with Class C waste, it automatically became Class C waste. The waste that the applicant would be sorting would be Class A and Class B mixed with Class C waste

·         In response to a query, the representative of the Head of Planning and Transport Planning indicated that he was satisfied that the hardstanding on site was of a high standard. However, the EA had concerns about some cracks in the hardstanding and therefore under the Environmental Permit, an impermeable surface would be required. A condition had also been proposed should it be necessary

·         All the concerns expressed by local residents had been addressed with a significant number of conditions. The application pushed waste up the waste hierarchy thereby avoiding landfill and therefore the application should be approved.

 

RESOLVED thatplanning permission be granted for a proposed waste wood recycling and expansion of existing composting facility at Croome Farm, Croome D'Abitot, Severn Stoke, Worcestershire, subject to the following conditions: -

 

            Commencement

1)     The development must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission;

 

            Approved Plans

2)     The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the approved drawings titled: “Croome Composting Site Plan August 2020 Ref (PT 1.3)”; “Croome Composting Location Plan (Ref PT1.5)”; "Existing Block Plan August 2020 (Ref PT 1.6)", and “Croome Composting Emergency Routes Plan (PT2.1)”, except where otherwise stipulated by conditions attached to this permission;

 

Throughput

3)     The combined annual throughput of green waste to be processed by the development hereby approved, together with the existing site as shown on drawing titled: “Existing Block Plan August 2020 (Ref PT 1.6)” shall not exceed 20,000 tonnes in any one calendar year (January to December) and records shall be kept for the duration of the operations on the site, and made available to the County Panning Authority within 10 working days of a written request being made;

 

4)     The amount of imported wood waste to be processed by the development hereby approved shall not exceed 5,000 tonnes in any one calendar year (January to December) with an on-site limit of 500 tonnes on site at any one time and records shall be kept for the duration of the operations on the site, and made available to the County Panning Authority within 10 working days of a written request being made;

 

            Waste Acceptance

5)     No wastes other than those defined in the application shall be brought onto the site, namely waste wood and green waste;

 

Storage

6)     There shall be no storage of any imported green waste, wood waste or processed compost outside the area of the hardstanding;

 

Vehicles, Access

7)     Vehicle access and egress to and from the siteshall be from Church Lane (C2105), which is located to the south of the development hereby approved shown as “Route A” on drawing titled: "Croome Composting Emergency Routes Plan (PT 2.1)";

 

8)     Access to the site from Airfield Lane (C2056), which is located to the north of the development hereby approved, as shown on drawing titled: "Croome Composting Emergency Routes Plan (PT 2.1)", shall only be used during emergencies, which includes extreme flooding where the permitted southern access route, shown as “Route A” is impassable;

 

9)     When commercial vehicles are exiting the site on to Church Lane (C2105) to access the Local Road Network, they shall turn left towards the A4104. A sign shall be erected at the site within 28 days of the date of this permission directing commercial vehicles exiting the site to turn left towards the A4104;

 

10)  Notwithstanding the submitted details, within 3 months of the date of this permission, an updated Traffic Management Plan shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. Thereafter, the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details;

 

Boundary Treatment

11)  Details of any new boundary fences, walls and other means of enclosure to be constructed at the site shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing prior to being erected. Thereafter the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details;

 

Construction Hours

12)  Construction and demolition works shall only be carried out on the site between 08:00 to 18:00 hours on Mondays to Fridays inclusive, and 08:00 to 13:00 hours on Saturdays, with no construction or demolition works on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays;

 

Operating Hours

13)  The development hereby approved shall only operate between the hours of 08:00 to 16:00 Mondays to Fridays with no operations including crushing, pulverising, shredding and chipping on Saturdays and Sundays, Bank Holidays or Public Holidays with the exception of deliveries which can be made to and dispatched from the site between the hours of 08:00 to 16:00 on Mondays to Fridays and between the hours of 10:00 to 16:00 on Saturdays only, with no deliveries on Sundays, Bank Holidays or Public Holidays;

 

Compost Arrangements

14)  The compost shall only be applied to land in the applicant’s ownership as shown on the drawing titled: "Plan showing land in the applicants' ownership", which was submitted to the County Planning Authority on 21 September 2012;

 

15)  No waste materials shall be accepted at the site directly from members of the public, and no retail sales of wastes or processed materials, including compost to members of the public shall take place at the site;

 

16)  There shall be no fires lit and no wastes burnt on the site;

 

17)  The maximum height of windrows and all stockpiles of material associated with the development hereby approved shall not exceed 4 metres in height and a height bar(s) shall be erected and maintained on site for the duration of the operations on the site;

 

18)  Within 3 months of the date of this permission, details of any skips and containers to be stored on the application site, including their location and maximum stored height shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. Thereafter, the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details;

 

Lighting

19)  There shall be no external lighting associated with the proposal;

 

 

Pollution Control

 

20)  The composted material shall be restricted to green waste material as defined in the Environmental Permit from the Environment Agency;

 

21)  The development hereby approved shall be carried out in accordance with the document titled: “Croome Composting Site - Odour Management Plan", dated September 2016. The Management Plan shall be maintained for the duration of operations on site and the associated written records shall be kept for the inspection by the County Planning Authority on request for the duration of operations on the site;

 

22)  All loads of waste materials carried on HGV into and out of the development hereby approved shall be enclosed or covered so as to prevent spillage or loss of material at the site or on to the public highway;

 

            Drainage

23)  No development shall commence until a scheme for the provision and implementation of a surface water regulation system for waste storage and processing areas, including the use of a sealed drainage system, sump or otherwise appropriate measures, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the County Planning Authority. Thereafter the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details;

 

24)  There shall be no discharge of trade effluent, sewage effluent or contaminated drainage from the site into any ditch or watercourse;

 

25)  Within 3 months of the development hereby approved details and a specification of any new and replacement hard surfacing within the application site shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing prior to being constructed. Thereafter the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details;

 

26)  Any facilities for the storage of oils, fuels or chemicals shall be sited on impervious bases and surrounded by impervious bund walls. The volume of the bunded compound shall be at least equivalent to the capacity of the tank plus 10%. If there is multiple tankage, the compound shall be at least equivalent to the capacity of the largest tank, vessel or the combined capacity of interconnected tanks or vessels plus 10%. All filling points, associated pipework, vents, gauges and site glasses must be located within the bund or have separate secondary containment. The drainage system of the bund shall be sealed with no discharge to any watercourse, land or underground strata. Associated pipework shall be located above ground and protected from accidental damage. All filling points and tank/vessels, overflow pipe outlets shall be detailed to discharge downwards into the bund;

 

Noise

27)  All vehicles, plant and machinery operated within the site shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications at all times, and shall be fitted with and use fully operational silencers;

 

       Ecology and Biodiversity

28)  No demolition of buildings or structures which may be used by breeding birds shall take place between 1st March and 31st August inclusive, unless a competent ecologist has undertaken a careful, detailed check for active birds’ nests immediately before works commence and provided written confirmation that no birds will be harmed and/or that there are appropriate measures in place to protect nesting bird interest on site. Any such written confirmation should be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing;

 

29)  Ecological enhancement measures including bird and bat boxes shall be implemented in accordance with Section 5 of the Updated Ecological Assessment (2/Ph1Ecoass.doc, Wilder Ecology, October 2020). On implementation of these ecological enhancement measures, a Statement of Conformity shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority confirming successful implementation; and

 

Planning permission

30)  A copy of this decision notice, together with all approved plans and documents required under the conditions of this permission shall be maintained at the site office at all times throughout the period of the development and shall be made known to any person(s) given responsibility for management or control of activities/operations on the site.