Agenda item

Report by the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Strategy & Infrastructure Planning) (PN8).

The proposal is for a permanent extension to the existing waste transfer apron to allow for increased operating space and a large picking station 57 metres in length. There would be no increase in the tonnage processed at the site and, therefore, no additional traffic would be generated by this proposal and has been made, due to health and safety concerns.

Following accidents at waste sites elsewhere in the country which had led to recommendations from the Health and Safety Executive, the applicant wishes to introduce measures to stop the practice of sorting the waste on the apron or within the WTS building. This normally results in unprotected staff members sharing small spaces with mobile plant machinery. The picking station in its proposed location will separate unprotected staff from potentially dangerous mobile machinery with the larger apron allowing the application to store more baled process waste to allow increased larger bulk collections thereby potentially reducing vehicle movements.  

Due to the rising topography from west to east, the applicant proposes digging out the rising ground level to the east by 2.2metres so that the apron extension is at the same level as the existing apron.

The apron floor on the extension would be laid with concrete with suitable drainage and walls would be pre-cast concrete panels supported within upright steel ‘I’ beam columns, all to match the existing. 

It is RECOMMENDED that Application MW.0132/15 (15/01829/CM) be granted subject to conditions to be determined by the Deputy Director for Environment and Economy (Strategy and Infrastructure Planning) to include the following:

(i)           The development shall be carried out strictly in accordance with the particulars of the development, plans and specifications contained in the application except as modified by conditions of this permission.

(ii)          The development to be commenced within a period of three years from the date of the permission.

(iii)        The picking station shall not be coloured in anything other than dark green or grey colour to match the existing Waste Transfer Station Building.

(iv)        No operations authorised or required by this permission shall be carried out and plant shall not be operated, other than during the following hours:

a)            Between 0800 and 1700 hours Mondays to Fridays

b)           Between 0800 and 1200 hours on Saturdays

c)           No such operations shall take place on Sundays and Public and Bank Holidays and Saturdays immediately following Public and Bank Holiday Fridays.

(v)         The maximum total of waste material imported via the main access shall not exceed 24,999 tonnes per annum. This includes all waste processed within the blue line area on the approved Site Location Plan.

(vi)        No other means of access shall be used.

(vii)       From the date of issuing permission the operator shall maintain records of all waste entering the site for all operations within the blue line area and shall be made available to the Waste Planning Authority within 14 days on request.

(viii)     Other than the chipping of wood or storage of material to be chipped and wood chippings, no sorting of waste shall take place on the land except within the “Picking Station” on approved Site Layout Plan 2146/29A and no unprocessed waste shall be stored or deposited on the land. 

(ix)        Stockpiles of wood and wood chippings shall not exceed a height of 4 metres.

(x)         No crushing of materials or storage of clean hardcore and crushed materials shall take within the area labelled “Proposed Extension to Waste Transfer Apron” on approved Site Layout Plan 2146/29A.

(xi)        All vehicles, plant and machinery operated within the site shall be serviced and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and, where silencers are specified by the manufacturer for any vehicles, plant or machinery; they shall be installed and retained in use.

(xii)       No reversing bleepers or other means of audible warning of reversing vehicles shall be fixed to, or used on, any vehicle operating on the site, other than those which use white noise.

(xiii)     No floodlighting shall be erected on site without prior approval of the Waste Planning Authority.

(xiv)     The concreted surface of the site and site access shall be maintained in a good state of repair and kept clean and free from mud and other debris at all times until such time as the site is no longer required for these operations.

(xv)      No development shall take place except in accordance with the dust suppression measures specified in the approved Dust Assessment (dated September 2015).

(xvi)     Between the hours of 08:00 and 17:00 Mondays to Fridays and 08:00 to 12:00 Saturdays, the noise levels arising from the development shall not exceed normally 55dB(LAeq) (1 hour), freefield at Gate Hangs High Inn  identified on approved Site Location Plan.

(xvii)    No works of site clearance or development shall be carried out other than in accordance with the recommendations within Section 4 (Conclusions & Recommendations) of the approved Phase 1 Habitat Survey (Martin Ecology, December 2015). These include: amphibian/reptile precautionary method of working and watching brief by suitably-qualified ecologist; nesting bird check if works are to take place within the bird nesting season; excavations provided with escape routes for badgers; and, provision of log piles.

(xviii)  No works of site clearance or development shall take place until a scheme is submitted to and approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority. The scheme shall outline how the operator will dispose of the material removed to construct the apron extension. 

(xix)     No works of site clearance or development shall take place until a detailed Biodiversity Mitigation and Enhancement Strategy has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority. The scheme shall be based on the proposals within the Section 4 (Conclusions & Recommendations) of the approved Phase 1 Habitat Survey (Martin Ecology, December 2015) and detailed scheme of tree planting. The Strategy shall include:

a)            numbers and locations of logpiles;

b)           detailed seed mix to include species mix (species should be of local provenance and appropriate to the local area);

c)           plant size, planting layout & spacing, and methods of establishment for both new planting and species mix, position, size and protection methods for existing planting;

d)           management and maintenance of habitats including grassland, trees and pond; and

e)            a programme for its implementation.

(xx)      No works of site clearance or development shall take place until a Construction Traffic Management Plan is submitted to and approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority.

(xxi)     Any scheme that is approved shall be implemented in the first planting season immediately following the approval in writing of that scheme. No work shall take place other than in accordance with the approved strategy.

(xxii)    All fuel tanks shall be sited on a concrete base surrounded by bund walls capable of retaining at least 110% of the tank volume and any spillages from draw or fill pipes.

The Committee considered (PN8) a report for a permanent extension to the existing waste transfer apron to allow for increased operating space

Having presented the report Mr Case responded to questions from:

Councillor Phillips - it was not intended to increase the amount of material but enable greater storage of baled material to be transported out by larger but fewer vehicles.

Councillor Purse – the building and apron were permitted. This application was for the picking station to enable process and separation of material.

Carl Middleditch (Agent) and Nigel Mathews (Applicant) addressed the Committee. Mr Middleditch advised that the site was well contained. Extensive planting with more to come and careful siting of the building had reduced visibility of the site from outside. The applicant’s intention was to create a model recycling centre with 100% of material recycled. Improvements continued to be made with no complaints made and no recorded accidents. They accepted that county officers had produced a factual report but the applicant asked the Committee to reconsider condition 3 requiring the picking station to be coloured dark green or grey on the grounds that due to the nature of the material of the building that painting might not work and furthermore they felt it unnecessary as the building was not visible from outside the site.  Also condition 8 needed to be amended to reflect the need that some waste would need to be removed from site.

Responding to questions from:

Councillor Johnston - Mr Middleditch confirmed that the amendment to condition 8 had been requested to allow waste to be tipped in the waste transfer station before it went into the trommel in the picking station. Mr Mathews adding that material needed to be checked as early as possible in the process and pre-sorted into segregated bins in order to remove any contaminants. Those were then stored and removed to designated sites when sufficient amounts had been gathered.

Officers confirmed that they could discuss with the applicants some appropriate wording for condition 8 in order to meet their and the planning authority’s needs.

Councillor Reynolds agreed the site was well screened and although lighting from within the site could be seen landscaping and lighting conditions should help mitigate against that. The routeing agreement was in place and he could only recall one complaint being received some time ago.  He felt condition 3 should remain but was happy for officers to discuss further amendment to condition 8.  He so moved and Councillor Bartholomew seconded. The motion was put to the Committee and –

RESOLVED: (by 11 votes to 0) that Application MW.0132/15 (15/01829/CM) be granted subject to conditions to be determined by the Deputy Director for Environment and Economy (Strategy and Infrastructure Planning) to include the following:

(i)           The development should be carried out strictly in accordance with the particulars of the development, plans and specifications contained in the application except as modified by conditions of this permission.

(ii)          The development to be commenced within a period of three years from the date of the permission.

(iii)         The picking station should not be coloured in anything other than dark green or grey colour to match the existing Waste Transfer Station Building.

(iv)         No operations authorised or required by this permission should be carried out and plant should not be operated, other than during the following hours:

a)            Between 0800 and 1700 hours Mondays to Fridays

b)            Between 0800 and 1200 hours on Saturdays

c)            No such operations should take place on Sundays and Public and Bank Holidays and Saturdays immediately following Public and Bank Holiday Fridays.

(v)          The maximum total of waste material imported via the main access should not exceed 24,999 tonnes per annum. This includes all waste processed within the blue line area on the approved Site Location Plan.

(vi)         No other means of access should be used.

(vii)       From the date of issuing permission the operator should maintain records of all waste entering the site for all operations within the blue line area and should be made available to the Waste Planning Authority within 14 days on request.

(viii)      Other than the chipping of wood or storage of material to be chipped and wood chippings, no sorting of waste should take place on the land except within the “Picking Station” on approved Site Layout Plan 2146/29A except for a short period of time  . 

(ix)         Stockpiles of wood and wood chippings should not exceed a height of 4 metres.

(x)          No crushing of materials or storage of clean hardcore and crushed materials should take within the area labelled “Proposed Extension to Waste Transfer Apron” on approved Site Layout Plan 2146/29A.

(xi)         All vehicles, plant and machinery operated within the site should be serviced and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and, where silencers are specified by the manufacturer for any vehicles, plant or machinery; they should be installed and retained in use.

(xii)       No reversing bleepers or other means of audible warning of reversing vehicles should be fixed to, or used on, any vehicle operating on the site, other than those which use white noise.

(xiii)      No floodlighting should be erected on site without prior approval of the Waste Planning Authority.

(xiv)      The concreted surface of the site and site access should be maintained in a good state of repair and kept clean and free from mud and other debris at all times until such time as the site was no longer required for these operations.

(xv)       No development should take place except in accordance with the dust suppression measures specified in the approved Dust Assessment (dated September 2015).

(xvi)      Between the hours of 08:00 and 17:00 Mondays to Fridays and 08:00 to 12:00 Saturdays, the noise levels arising from the development should not exceed normally 55dB(LAeq) (1 hour), freefield at Gate Hangs High Inn  identified on approved Site Location Plan.

(xvii)     No works of site clearance or development should be carried out other than in accordance with the recommendations within Section 4 (Conclusions & Recommendations) of the approved Phase 1 Habitat Survey (Martin Ecology, December 2015). These include: amphibian/reptile precautionary method of working and watching brief by suitably-qualified ecologist; nesting bird check if works were to take place within the bird nesting season; excavations provided with escape routes for badgers; and, provision of log piles.

(xviii)   No works of site clearance or development should take place until a scheme was submitted to and approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority. The scheme should outline how the operator would dispose of the material removed to construct the apron extension. 

(xix)      No works of site clearance or development should take place until a detailed Biodiversity Mitigation and Enhancement Strategy had been submitted to and approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority. The scheme should be based on the proposals within the Section 4 (Conclusions & Recommendations) of the approved Phase 1 Habitat Survey (Martin Ecology, December 2015) and detailed scheme of tree planting. The Strategy should include:

a)            numbers and locations of logpiles;

b)            detailed seed mix to include species mix (species should be of local provenance and appropriate to the local area);

c)            plant size, planting layout & spacing, and methods of establishment for both new planting and species mix, position, size and protection methods for existing planting;

d)            management and maintenance of habitats including grassland, trees and pond; and

e)            a programme for its implementation.

(xx)       No works of site clearance or development should take place until a Construction Traffic Management Plan had been submitted to and approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority.

(xxi)      Any scheme that is approved should be implemented in the first planting season immediately following the approval in writing of that scheme. No work should take place other than in accordance with the approved strategy.

(xxii)   All fuel tanks should be sited on a concrete base surrounded by bund walls capable of retaining at least 110% of the tank volume and any spillages from draw or fill pipes.