Agenda item

Report by the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Strategy & Infrastructure Planning) (PN7).

The application is to vary existing permission to remove the need for passing bays and so delete the condition. A covering letter and Vehicle Conflict Analysis report has been provided with the application.

The existing planning permission 14/02055/CM was granted to enable the exportation of 72,000 tonnes of crushed rock for a temporary period of 12 months in 2015. At the time to allow the application, the Transport Development Control officer (TDC) recommended the construction of passing bays at two locations along a minor road to the A361. The existing condition states:

“No crushing shall be carried out and no further removal of crushed mineral shall occur until the proposed passing bays on the lane leading to the A361 have been constructed and approved by the highways authority in accordance with specification approved under the Section 278 Agreement.”

The conclusion would be an increase of no more than two percentage points on any section of the approved route with the additional quarry traffic and there would be no justification to require the passing bays as the likelihood of HGV traffic meeting would be small. The TDC Team commented on the proposal to remove the passing bays with the additional analysis completed and has no objection to the application providing restrictions are made on daily HGV traffic movements. We received one objection from the parish council stating the minor road is only single track road and the quarry traffic is reasonably busy.

It is RECOMMENDED that subject to conditions to be determined by the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Strategy and Infrastructure) including those set out in Annex 2 to the report PN7 that planning permission for application MW.0071/16 be approved.

The Committee considered (PN7) a report setting out the terms of an application to vary an existing permission granted to enable the exportation of 72,000 tonnes of crushed rock for a temporary period of 12 months in 2015 by deleting a condition requiring provision of passing bays at two locations along a minor road from the site to the A361 recommended at that time by the Transport Development Control officer.  However, a Vehicle Conflict Analysis report had since concluded that there was now no justification for such a requirement as the likelihood of HGV traffic meeting would be small and in the light of that the Transport Development Control Team now had no objection to the application providing restrictions were made on daily HGV traffic movements.

Having presented the report Mr Case and other officers responded to questions from:

Councillor Mills – he understood that 3 people were employed on site and the total movements would be 44 plus tractor movements.

Councillor Bartholomew – the passing bays had not been constructed yet and this review had been undertaken following the conflict analysis document.

Councillor Cherry – Mr Rossington confirmed that the vehicle conflict analysis had only considered the number of vehicles and it had to be accepted that there could be some damage to verges during for example bad weather.

Councillor Phillips – Mr Rossington confirmed that when provision of bays had  first been considered the information now set out in the vehicle conflict analysis had not been available and officers had felt that they might be required but in t light of further information as set out in the analysis that had changed.

Councillor Mathew – the analysis had been received but not circulated with the report.

Councillor Purse – Mr Rossington confirmed forward visibility was very good at the access to the site and no doubt if passing bays were there they would be used but evidence now showed that they were not required.

Responding to a request from Councillor Purse Mr Periam advised that it would not be possible to attach a condition requiring traffic going to and leaving the site behave in a reasonable manner but an informative could be attached to that effect.

Responding to a further request from Councillor Matthew he advised that a condition could be attached requiring the applicants provide quarterly statements with regard to lorry movements to and from the site and tonnages involved.

Nicholas Johnston explained the nature of work at the quarry and the concerns expressed by a number of residents regarding the passing bays. It had seemed a substantial investment for a short permission and as the concerns expressed had now been addressed it seemed sensible to carry on with things as they were. However, he gave an undertaking that if the need for bays needed to be reconsidered then that would be done.

Responding to Councillor Bartholomew he confirmed that the site was not in their ownership and a further application would be needed if they wished to carry on after 12 months.

RESOLVED: (on a motion by Councillor Sanders, seconded by Councillor Johnston and carried by 12 votes to 0, Councillor Reynolds recorded as having abstained) that planning permission for application MW.0071/16 be approved subject to conditions to be determined by the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Strategy & Infrastructure) including those set out in Annex 2 to the report PN7 and:

(a)          an additional condition that the applicant to provide quarterly statements setting out lorry movements to and from the site with tonnage of materials.

(b)          additional informatives that:

(i)            traffic travelling to and from the site behave in a reasonable manner;

(ii)          if a further application to extend working at the site was received then consideration should be given to provision of passing bays.