Agenda item

A report was presented on an application for an extension to quarry and restoration by means of infill with inert construction, demolition and excavation waste, the sorting, screening and export of recyclable material, the consolidation of existing permissions and the revision of approved working and restoration schemes at Tong Farm, Tong Lane, Bacup.

The report included the views of Rosendale Borough Council, the County Council's Assistant Director (Highways), the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Health and Safety Executive, the Rambler's Association and details of two letters of representation received. 

Robert Hope, Development Management Officer, presented a PowerPoint presentation showing an aerial view of the site and the nearest residential properties. The committee was also shown an illustration of the proposed extension and the final restoration and landscaping proposals together with several photographs of the site and surrounding access roads.

The officer reported orally that the applicant had submitted letters of support from 48 construction / road haulage companies in the East Lancashire area. Each of the companies stated that they had previously disposed of their inert waste at Tong Farm.  The applicant had also forwarded four letters of support from local residents – the residents stated that the quarry had always been a good neighbour and was a source of local employment.  The applicant had also submitted an analysis of other gritstone / shale quarries in the East Lancashire area and concluded that many of the existing sites in the area were either dormant or did not have sufficient reserves to supply demand.

The committee was advised that comments on the representations received were set out in the report. In relation to the applicant's further information on the need for the minerals, a discussion on the overall landbank position and availability of gritstone and shale reserves at other sites in the East Lancashire area was included on pages 32 – 35 of the Committee report. It was considered that the overall landbank of permitted reserves was sufficient to ensure a steady and adequate supply of these types of construction materials from existing active sites and that there was no immediate need to release the additional reserves that were contained in the application site.

Mr Chris Ballam, the agent for the applicant, addressed the committee and spoke in support of the application. Mr Ballam informed the committee that:

·  The application had received more than 57 letters and emails of support from local businesses in the East Lancashire area.

·  The number of objections received reflected the limited impact the quarry had on the amenity of local residents.

·  If planning permission was refused, it would not only impact on the workers and their families but would also have a detrimental impact on the local businesses who used the quarry.

·   It was acknowledged that the impact of the quarry traffic on the local highway was an issue however, the community had been built up around the quarry which had been in existence for over 40 years.

Mr Ballam questioned whether the remaining quarries in the area would be able to provide the quality and type of materials required. The committee was therefore urged to defer consideration of the application to allow further investigation into the supplies of gritstone/shale in east Lancashire.

In response to questions raised by the Members, the officer advised that a large number of residents lived in the vicinity of the site and that two letters of representation had been received objecting to the proposal. In respect of the supplies of gritstone and shale in the area, the officer reiterated the advice set out in the update sheet that the overall landbank of permitted reserves was sufficient to ensure a steady and adequate supply of these types of construction materials from existing active sites and that there was no immediate need to release the additional reserves that were contained in the application site.

Members commented that although reserves were available at other sites, it was important that these reserves could be extracted at the appropriate time to cover the demand required. Following further debate it was Moved and Seconded that:

"The application be deferred until the next meeting of the committee on 3 September 2014, to allow officers to further investigate the overall landbank position and alternative sources of supply at existing sites in East Lancashire".

On being put to the vote, the Motion was Carried whereupon it was:

Resolved: The application be deferred until the next meeting of the committee on 3 September 2014, to allow officers to further investigate the overall landbank position and alternative sources of supply at existing sites in East Lancashire.