Agenda item

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

This report updates members on the regular monitoring of minerals and waste planning permissions and on the progress of enforcement cases for the period 1 April 2014 to 31 October 2014.

All sites with planning permission are regularly visited on a formal basis and a written report produced following a site visit which is shared with the site occupant. Where elements of non-compliance with a consent are identified this can result in subsequent compliance with matters that are outstanding or in a planning application being made to regularise unauthorised activities on site.

Of all the sites, 66 fall within the remit of Government Regulations that allow the council to charge a fee for conditions monitoring, in that they relate directly to the winning and working of mineral permissions or directly to land filling permissions. The remaining non-chargeable sites include scrap yards, recycling operations, waste transfer stations, sewage works and composting operations.

The routine monitoring programme benefits the county's environment by increasing compliance with planning conditions, and in identifying and rectifying matters where conditions are not being complied with on all mineral and waste planning permissions.

It is RECOMMENDED that the Schedule of Compliance Monitoring Visits at Annex 1 and the Schedule of Enforcement Cases at Annex 2 to the report PN8 be noted.

The Committee considered (PN8) an update on the regular monitoring of minerals and waste planning permissions and progress of enforcement cases for the period 1 April 2014 to 31 October 2014.

Noted that L.C. Hughes Scrap Yard, London Road should have read Blackthorn and not Bicester as printed.

Councillor Handley drew attention to problems at the B&E Skips operation at 115 Brize Norton Road, Minster Lovell (page 69) following further recent development and activity as early as 6 am.  He asked if the number of visits could be increased and whether some of those could be unannounced. Also problems were being experienced with material on the approach road to Burford Quarry (page 69)

With regard to B&E Skips Mr Hodgkinson undertook to let Councillor Handley have details in relation to the conditions imposed on the site with regard to noise and noise monitoring and confirmed that officers did from time to time make unannounced visits. He would also check the condition regarding wheel washing at Burford Quarry.

With regard to Cornbury Park (page 69) Mr Hodgkinson confirmed it was a small agricultural quarry producing a small amount of stone for specific usage and as such was visited once annually.

Councillor Bartholomew - he confirmed there would be increased monitoring of the Dix Pit site (page 69).

Councillor Johnston raised the issue of Waterstock Golf Course (Annex 2, page 75) in the context of an email he had received from the owners. They were seeking confirmation regarding the exact location of the waste and the release of previous reports allegedly prepared by officers. He also advised that the owners had alleged that neither of them had been contacted by Council representatives for several months

Mr Hodgkinson advised that this matter was being dealt with as a freedom of information request and therefore any enquiries should be directed to the Head of Legal Services.

Mr Hodgkinson then showed some photographs regarding the current position at:

·                       the Controlled reclamation site at Dix Pit, Stanton Harcourt where there had been evidence of significant overtipping. Enforcement action had been taken and compliance with this would be reported to Committee in due course but he confirmed that in the meantime the situation would be monitored during the compliance period of two years to try and progress the matter.

·                       Ferris Hill Farm – unauthorised deposit of waste.

With regard to Castle Barn Quarry (Page 79) Mr Hodgkinson confirmed that the operators had started importing waste for crushing and then export, which was outside the permitted use. He was expecting an application to extend operations to come forward to the Committee.

Responding to Councillor Phillips he explained processes involved in the routine monitoring programme, including information on how to process a complaint, which was contained on the web.  Monitoring reports were available on request but not as yet via the website although it was hoped that that would be achieved in the same way as for planning applications.

The Chairman confirmed that in her experience on Liaison Committees the information had been very useful and she thanked officers for the report and congratulated them, particularly on the number of cases now shown as closed.

RESOLVED: that the Schedule of Compliance Monitoring Visits at Annex 1 and the Schedule of Enforcement Cases at Annex 2 to the report PN8 be noted.