Agenda item

A report was presented on an application for an extension to the area of phased extraction of sand, gravel and clay, followed by infilling with inert waste for restoration purposes back to agriculture, woodland, and nature conservation including a 5m high screen bund at Sandons Farm, Sandy Lane, Adlington, Chorley.

The report included the views of Adlington Town Council, the Environment Agency, the County Council's Ecology Service, the Canal and River Trust, Natural England and details of six letters of representation received. 

The Development Management Officer presented a PowerPoint presentation which included an aerial photograph of the site and the nearest residential properties. The committee was also shown photographs of the site from various viewpoints and an illustration of the location plan and development plan.

The Committee visited the site on Monday 17 October 2016.

The Officer advised the Committee that further representations had been received since the publication of the agenda report. These included a representation from Lindsay Hoyle MP and a local resident. The representations together with the officer's advice are set out in the Update Sheet. (Copy set out at Annex A to the Minute book and attached as a supplementary agenda item).

Chorley Borough Councillor Graham Dunn addressed the Committee on behalf of the Borough Council.  Councillor Dunn reminded the Committee that the planning inspector had previously overturned the decision of the County Council and granted the original planning application having concluded that the quarry was too far away to impact on the visual amenity of the nearest residential properties.  It was pointed out that this proposal would halve the distance between the quarry and the residential properties thereby increasing the visual impact on residents. In addition, the proposed bund was higher and closer to the properties, and would therefore, further impact on visual amenity.  It was also pointed out that the proposal would exacerbate existing problems associated with wind-blown dust from the site. 

Officers responded to concerns raised by the Committee with regard to outstanding enforcement issues at the site, the noise from the site, the need for the minerals, the proposed timescale for extracting and restoring the site and the proposed start time of the operations on Mondays to Fridays.

Following further discussion, and in order to mitigate the impact of the proposals on the nearest residential properties, it was proposed to amend condition 16 to ensure that no mining operations, landfilling or restoration would take place except between the hours of 0800 to 1800 hours Monday to Friday. 

Resolved: That, subject to the applicant first entering into a s.106 Agreement for the extended management of landscaping, habitats and public access for a period of 10 years in addition to 5 years of aftercare controlled by condition (consistent with planning permission 09/05/0018), and an amendment to condition 16 to ensure that no mining operations, landfilling or restoration  shall take place except between the hours of 0800 to 1800 hours Monday to Friday, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report to the Committee.