Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2017 (PN3) and to receive information arising from them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2017 were approved and signed subject to adding Councillor Patrick Greene to the attendance list.

Report by the Director for Planning and Place (PN6).

The report provides an update to Members following the presentation of these applications to the 27 February 2017 Planning & Regulation. At that meeting the Committee were informed of an objection raised by the Environment Agency which following officer advice prompted a deferral to a future meeting

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The objections raised by the Environment Agency and subsequent comments from the Ecology Officer have been addressed by the applicant within their submission dated 23 March 2017. We await a formal response from the Environment Agency and Ecology Officer.

The two applications, for a new pipeline to move mineral from the permitted Stonehenge Farm quarry instead of the permitted conveyor system and for associated variations of the conditions attached to the existing quarry permission including extending the time for the completion of mineral extraction to 31 December 2023 and restoration by 31 December 2024, are recommended for approval subject to conditions and legal agreements.

It is RECOMMENDED that subject to no over-riding objections being received from outstanding consultees that:

(a)       Application MW.0132/16 be approved subject to conditions to be determined by the Director of Planning and Place including those set out in Annex B to this report; and

(b)       subject to:

i)        a supplemental S. 106 legal agreement to bring forward relevant provisions from the existing agreements;

ii)       a supplemental routeing agreement linking the proposed development to the existing routeing agreement;

that Application MW.0134/16 be approved subject to conditions as on existing consentAPP/U3100/A/09/2107573, with the amendments to conditions, deletion of redundant conditions and additional conditions and informatives to be determined by the Director for Planning and Place, in accordance with the details set out in Annex C and with any necessary updates to the wording of existing conditions to ensure clarity and reflect changes to policy since the original permission was issued.

On 27 February 2017 the Planning & Regulation Committee deferred these applications in the light of an objection raised by the Environment Agency. That objection along with subsequent comments from the county’s Ecology Officer having been addressed by the applicant within their submission dated 23 March 2017 the Committee were now reconsidering both applications for a new pipeline to move mineral from the permitted Stonehenge Farm quarry instead of the permitted conveyor system and for associated variations of the conditions attached to the existing quarry permission including extending the time for the completion of mineral extraction to 31 December 2023 and restoration by 31 December 2024.

Presenting the report Mrs Crossley confirmed that the applicants had confirmed that they were unwilling to alter the phasing sequence in response to concerns expressed by the owner of the Park Farm development.  She then responded to questions from:

Councillor Greene –rights of way would be raised where the pipeline crossed and plans had been conditioned to that effect.

Councillor Purse – the pipeline would be raised and supported on sleepers to aid movement of animals.

Councillor Sanders – material would vary in size and would not be treated prior to transportation.

Councillor Phillips – she was able to confirm that there was an audit trail for the discussions regarding removal of the EA objection.

Councillor Bartholomew – the County Council had no authority to change the phasing sequence. That application had already been approved and the applicant was working in accordance with the terms of that permission. There were conditions in place relating to environmental controls ie noise and proposals for provision of good mature screening.

Mr Duncan confirmed that responses to a full public consultation including a well-attended public meeting had been very positive. He felt the applicants had adequately addressed the request to amend the phasing scheme and that the scheme as now proposed represented the most effective way forward with allowances made for a 250 meter gap. The expected lifespan of the sleepers meant that they would likely outlive the length of the time the pipeline would be in situ. They would be removed when finished. With regard to material particle size screening would remove particles over 40ml and clay and anything below that down to micron size would be transported.

He then responded to questions from:

Councillor Sanders – there had been considerable improvements in  pipeline technology and so confidence in the system was high. The manufacturers also guaranteed performance.

Councillor Lily – the existing noise limit for the pump was set at 51 decibels.

Councillor Mathew then addressed the Committee. He reminded members that Northmoor residents had been blighted for 40 plus years. This would now increase that to 50 plus years with flooding issues likely to be exacerbated through increased digging. That was unacceptable.  He accepted that a pipe represented a better option than a conveyor but questioned why a bigger pipe was not being installed in order to reduce working time which he understood was feasible but  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17/17