Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Pre-Submission Publication

Ended on the 19 December 2022

Breckland Sites

MIN 12 - land north of Chapel Lane, Beetley

Site Characteristics

  • The 16.38 hectare site is within the parish of Beetley
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 1,175,000 tonnes
  • The proposer of the site has given a potential start date of 2025 and estimated the extraction rate to be 80,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within 15 years, therefore approximately 1,120,000 tonnes could be extracted within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Middleton Aggregates Ltd as an extension to an existing site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being Grade 3.
  • The site is 3.7km from Dereham and 12km from Fakenham, which are the nearest towns.

A reduced extraction area has been proposed of 14.9 hectares, which creates standoff areas to the south west of the site nearest to the buildings on Chapel Lane, and to the north west of the site nearest the dwellings on Church Lane.

M12.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 11m from the site boundary. There are 22 sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary and six of these are within 100m of the site boundary. The settlement of Beetley is 260m away and Old Beetley is 380m away. However, land at the north-west and south-west corners is not proposed to be extracted. Therefore, the nearest residential property is 95m from the extraction area and there are 18 sensitive receptors within 250m of the proposed extraction area (two of these are within 100m of the proposed extraction area). Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M12.2 Highway access: The site would access the existing plant site on the land to the north of Rawhall Lane via an extension to the existing conveyor. From the plant site the existing site access would be used onto Rawhall Lane east to the junction with the B1146 Fakenham Road, which is a designated lorry route. The site is not within an AQMA. As a proposed extension to an existing site, the number of vehicle movements is expected to remain the same but continue for a longer period. The estimated number of HGV movements is 30 (in and out) per day. The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority.

M12.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with boundary loss. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of Twentieth Century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss, agriculture with 18th to 19th Century enclosure, and enclosed wetland meadows. The wider historic landscape character also includes 18th to 20th Century woodland plantation, mineral extraction and leisure/recreation.

M12.4 The nearest Listed building is 460m away and is the Grade I Church of St Mary Magdalen. There are 14 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. The only Scheduled Monument within 2km of the site is 1.57km away and is the 'Moated site 280m south east of Spong Bridge'. There are no Conservation Areas or Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M12.5 Archaeology: There are no Historic Environment records within the site boundary, however this may just be due to a lack of investigations. The site is in a wider landscape with a significant number of finds and features from multiple periods, and the site is immediately north of the remains of a Roman road. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M12.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site comprises open arable land with few landscape features apart from boundary hedgerow. The site lies close to the boundaries of the landscape character areas described as 'Beeston Plateau Farmland' and 'River Nar Tributary Farmland' in the Breckland Landscape Character Assessment. It lies within a wider area of open arable landscape punctuated with hedgerow oaks and small areas of woodland. Immediately to the north of the site is an existing permitted mineral extraction site, which formed part of the adopted allocation site MIN 10, of which MIN 12 was part.

M12.7 The site is generally well screened from views from surrounding roads and property, although views of the site would be seen from Field Lane, a road used as a public path which bounds the site to the north. In addition, the southern part of the site is slightly elevated and may be visible in a long view from public paths crossing land to the north of the Whitewater valley. The site would be relatively easy to screen from the views from Field Lane, although attention would need to be given to screening views from the north. A low-level restoration scheme with appropriate margins, gradients and land use could be acceptable in this plateau arable landscape, and this is what has been proposed.

M12.8 There are no Public Rights of Way within or adjacent to the site.

M12.9 Ecology: The site is 3.47km from the River Wensum SAC and is outside the Impact Risk Zone for the River Wensum SSSI. Due to this distance, no impacts on this SAC are expected.

M12.10 Beetley and Hoe Meadows SSSI is 1.16km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the valley site represents one of the finest remaining areas of wet unimproved grassland in Norfolk which is species-rich and includes several locally uncommon plants. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and is located up-gradient of the SSSI. Therefore, the SSSI would not be adversely affected.

M12.11 Dillington Carr, Gressenhall SSSI is 1.44km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the site is an extensive area of carr woodland and open water occupying the valley floor and sides of a small tributary of the River Wensum. The site also includes extensive stands of the nationally rare lowland bird cherry-alder woodland. Irrigation reservoirs have been created within the carr which support an outstanding assemblage of freshwater breeding birds, including several uncommon species. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and is located up-gradient of the SSSI. Therefore, the SSSI would not be adversely affected.

M12.12 The nearest County Wildlife Site is CWS 1027 'Gressenhall Green Marshes' which is 730m from the site boundary. The CWS is a mosaic of predominantly unmanaged broad-leaved semi-natural woodland, scrub, hedgerows, ditches and marshy grassland. Due to the distance from the CWS there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the County Wildlife Site would not be adversely affected.

M12.13 The nearest ancient woodland site is Great Wood which is a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) and Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW); it is 1.28km from the site boundary. Due to the distance from the ancient woodland there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the ancient woodland would not be adversely affected.

M12.14 Geodiversity: The site consists of the Briton's Lane sand and gravel member, overlying chalk formations. The Briton's Lane sands and gravels are known to contain priority features such as palaesols and erratics in other locations, and therefore they may occur on this site. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(1)M12.15 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. No areas of the site are at risk of flooding from surface water. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M12.16 Hydrogeology: The site is located over a secondary A aquifer (superficial deposits) and a principal aquifer (bedrock). The site is within groundwater Source Protection Zone 3. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore no effect on water resources is expected.

M12.17 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 1km from the Blackwater and 1.2km from Wendling Beck, which are the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbodies. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards the Blackwater or Wendling Beck. MIN 12 and the existing processing plant, which the sand and gravel could be transported to by conveyor, are both located north of Wendling Beck and south of the Blackwater. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across either of these watercourses. Due to the distance of the site from the Blackwater and Wendling Beck, it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into these waterbodies from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 12.

M12.18 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets or water assets within the site. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M12.19 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is not within an aerodrome safeguarding zone.

M12.20 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored at a lower level and returned to arable agriculture. Restoration would include wide field margins, new hedgerows and some woodland.

M12.21 Conclusion: Site MIN 12 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 12.

(7)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 12 (land north of Chapel Lane, Beetley):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  2. The existing processing plant (at East Bilney Quarry), accessed via an extension to the current conveyor, must be used;
  3. The submission of a detailed landscaping and screening scheme which ensures that there are no unacceptable impacts on residents of Chapel Road and Fakenham Road/Church Lane specifically, users of Field Lane, and the landscape generally, and that the settings of nearby listed buildings are protected;
  4. The site will need to be phased with the adjacent permitted site so that only one site is worked for extraction at a time in accordance with a phased and progressive working and restoration scheme.
  5. The submission of an acceptable progressive restoration scheme to a lower level (with no importation of materials) back to agriculture, to provide wide field margins, new hedgerows and additional woodland to provide landscape and biodiversity net gains;
  6. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study;
  7. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings (including the grade I listed Church of Mary Magdalene and grade II listed Old Hall and Beetley Hall), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required; and
  8. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures.

MIN 51 / MIN 13 / MIN 08- land west of Bilney Road, Beetley

Site Characteristics

  • The 39.65 hectare site is within the parish of Beetley
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 1,830,000 tonnes
  • The potential start date of the site is 2022 and estimated the extraction rate to be 70,000 tonnes per annum for the first seven years, increasing to 110,000 tpa for the remaining years. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within nineteen years, therefore 1,480,000 tonnes would be extracted within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Longwater Gravel Co Ltd as a new site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being Grade 3
  • The site is 4.2km from Dereham and 11km from Fakenham, which are the nearest towns

M51.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 171m from the site boundary. There are three sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary. The settlement of East Bilney is 470m away and Gressenhall is 530m away. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

(2)M51.2 Highway access: Access would be from the north-eastern corner of the site onto Rawhall Lane just before it joins the C225 Bilney Road and then join the B1146 Fakenham Road, which is a designated lorry route. There would only be approximately 100m before vehicles could access the B1146. The site is not within an AQMA. The estimated number of HGV movements is 10 out per day for the first seven years, increasing to 15 out per day for the final nine years. The proposed highway access using Rawhall Lane considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority.

M51.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with boundary loss and agriculture with 18th to 19th Century enclosure. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of Twentieth Century agriculture with enclosure, boundary loss and boundary loss with a relict element, agriculture with 18th to 19th Century enclosure and enclosed wetland meadow. The wider historic landscape character also includes informal parkland, mineral extraction and woodland (ancient woodland and 18th to 20th century plantation woodland).

M51.4 The nearest Listed Building is 680m away and is the Grade II Almshouses. There are 16 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. The only Scheduled Monument within 2km is the 'Deserted Medieval Village' which is 1.11km away. Brisley Conservation Area is 1.74km from the site. There are no Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M51.5 Archaeology: Historic Environment records of cropmarks and isolated finds, including a ring ditch, exist within the site boundary, however the site has not been subject to a programme of investigation. The site is in a wider landscape with a significant number of finds and features from multiple periods, and the site is north of the remains of a Roman road and south of a number of features from multiple periods. A possible road linking to the Roman Road runs through the southern part of the site. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M51.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site comprises open arable land with few landscape features apart from mature hedgerow oaks. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Beeston Plateau Farmland' in the Breckland Landscape Character Assessment. It lies within a wider area of open arable landscape punctuated with hedgerow oaks and small areas of woodland. An active quarry lies to the north of Rawhall Lane but does not really detract from the rural appearance of this site.

M51.7 Views of the site can be seen from Bilney Lane to the east, Stoney Lane to the south and Rawhall Lane to the north. The site is fairly flat and would be relatively easy to screen from the views from surrounding roads, by planting additional boundary hedges and thickening up existing boundary hedges. The nearest isolated properties along Rawhall Lane to the north-west would have limited views into the north-west part of the site which would require also additional hedgerow boundary screening. The site comprises open agricultural land, set down to a grass ley with some boundary hedges and hedgerow trees. The site contains some good internal landscape features; the internal hedgerow oaks and the block of woodland and rough grass lie within the centre of the site are notable features in this open landscape and should be protected by a suitable working scheme. A low level restoration scheme with appropriate margins and landuse could be acceptable in landscape terms.

M51.8 There are no Public Rights of Way within or adjacent to the site.

M51.9 Ecology: The site is 4.54km from the River Wensum SAC and is outside the Impact Risk Zone for the River Wensum SSSI. Due to this distance, no impacts on this SAC are expected.

M51.10 Beetley and Hoe Meadows SSSI is 2.12km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the valley site represents one of the finest remaining areas of wet unimproved grassland in Norfolk which is species-rich and includes several locally uncommon plants. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and is located up-gradient of the SSSI. Therefore, the SSSI would not be adversely affected.

M51.11 Dillington Carr, Gressenhall SSSI is 1.88km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the site is an extensive area of carr woodland and open water occupying the valley floor and sides of a small tributary of the River Wensum. The site also includes extensive stands of the nationally rare lowland bird cherry-alder woodland. Irrigation reservoirs have been created within the carr which support an outstanding assemblage of freshwater breeding birds, including several uncommon species. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and is located up-gradient of the SSSI. Therefore, the SSSI would not be adversely affected.

M51.12 Horse Wood Mileham SSSI is 2.84km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that it is an ancient woodland with a structure of coppice-with-standards. The ground flora is exceptionally diverse and includes a number of rare and uncommon species in great abundance. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table). Therefore, the SSSI would not be adversely affected.

M51.13 County Wildlife Site 2137 'Beck Farm Meadows' is 520m from the site boundary. The CWS is a series of damp, cattle-grazed meadows on the south bank of the Black Water. County Wildlife Site 2068 'Rawhall Wood' is 540m from the site boundary. The CWS is an ancient broad-leaved semi-natural woodland supporting a species-rich ground flora, with a network of wide rides. Due to the distance from the CWS there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the County Wildlife Site would not be adversely affected.

M51.14 The nearest ancient woodland site is Rawhall Wood which is a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) and Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW); it is 0.57km from the site boundary. Due to the distance from the ancient woodland site there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the ancient woodland would not be adversely affected.

M51.15 Geodiversity: The site consists of the Briton's Lane sand and gravel member, Lowestoft formation – diamicton, overlying chalk formations. The Briton's Lane sands and gravels are known to contain priority features such as palaesols and erratics in other locations, and therefore they may occur on this site. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(1)M51.16 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a medium probability of surface water flooding with a few locations of surface water pooling in 1 in 30 and 1 in 100-year rainfall events. In a 1 in 100-year rainfall event a flow path develops in the south-eastern corner of the site. In a 1 in 1000-year rainfall event the surface water flow path further develops to run north-west to south-east across the southern part of the site. Sand and gravel extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M51.17 Hydrogeology: Most of the site is located over a Secondary A aquifer (superficial deposits) and part of the site is located over a Secondary (undifferentiated) aquifer. The whole site is located over a principal aquifer (bedrock). The site is within groundwater Source Protection Zone 3. The proposed site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore no effect on water resources is expected.

M51.18 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 600 metres from the Blackwater and 1.7km from Wendling Beck, which are the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbodies. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards the Blackwater or Wendling Beck. If mineral is extracted from this site it is expected to be processed on site. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across either of these watercourses. Due to the distance of the site from the Blackwater and Wendling Beck, it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into these waterbodies from any future sand and gravel extraction within this site.

M51.19 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets or water assets within the site. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There is a National Grid high-pressure gas pipeline located along the eastern boundary of the site.

M51.20 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is not within an aerodrome safeguarding zone.

M51.21 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored at a lower level and the majority returned to arable agricultural. Due to the expected depth of extraction, it is recognised that restoration to arable is likely to require the use of imported inert material to provide a suitable profile. Lagoons to be retained as ponds with planting to create wet woodland habitat. Hedgerow interspersed with oaks is to be planted along the northern boundary alongside Rawhall Lane. A proportion of the site will be restored to woodland and associated grassland habitat.

M51.22 Conclusion: Site MIN 51/ MIN 13/ MIN 08 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 51/ MIN 13/ MIN 08.

(6)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 51 / MIN 13 / MIN 08 (land west of Bilney Road, Beetley):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. Highway access to be from the north-eastern corner of the site onto Rawhall Lane just before it joins the C225 Bilney Road and then join the B1146 Fakenham Road. Appropriate financial contributions to B1146 Fakenham Road/Rawhall Road junction improvements must be made, if required;
  2. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  3. The submission of a high-quality working scheme with site screening to include the planting of new boundary hedges and the thickening of existing boundary hedges, safeguarding the hedgerow oaks and two small areas of woodland on the site and using them as a focal point for restoration.
  4. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study;
  5. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings (including the Grade II* Listed Church of St Peter, Grade II Listed Manor Farmhouse as well as listed buildings in East Bilney and the Scheduled Monument site 'deserted medieval village'), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  6. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  7. The submission of an acceptable progressive restoration scheme to provide wide field margins, new hedgerows and additional woodland to provide landscape and biodiversity net gains; and
  8. Restoration of the extraction void to use the importation of inert materials only.

MIN 200 - land west of Cuckoo Lane, Carbrooke

(1)Site Characteristics

  • The 7.94 hectare site is within the parish of Carbrooke
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 300,000 tonnes
  • The proposer of the site has given a potential start date of 2025 and estimated the extraction rate to be 25,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within twelve years, which would be within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Mick George Ltd as an extension to an existing site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being Grade 3
  • The site is 0.8km from Watton and 10.1km from both Attleborough and Dereham, which are the nearest towns

M200.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 144m from the site boundary, this is the only sensitive receptor within 250m of the site. The settlement of Carbrooke is 321m away. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M200.2 Highway access: The site would use the existing quarry access onto Mill Lane and then south onto the B1108 Norwich Road, which is a designated lorry route. The site is not within an AQMA. As a proposed extension to an existing site, the number of vehicle movements is expected to remain the same but continue for a longer period. The estimated number of HGV movements is 10 (in and out) per day. The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority subject to the provision of passing places between the site and the B1108; use of the existing haul route and Mill Lane crossing to the processing plant, or provision of an appropriate alternative; and a routing agreement along with a weight limit will be required to protect Carbrooke settlement north of the site.

M200.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with boundary loss. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of Twentieth Century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss, agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure and enclosed wetland meadow. The wider historic landscape character also includes disused post-medieval military, agriculture with pre-18th century coaxial enclosure and 18th to 20th century plantation woodland.

M200.4 The nearest Listed Buildings are the Grade II Mill House and 'Windmill' which are 150m away. There are 27 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. Carbrooke Conservation Area is 670m from the site, within which many of the Listed Buildings are contained. The only Scheduled Monument within 2km of the site is the 'Site of Commandry of St John of Jerusalem' which is 700m away. There are no Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M200.5 Archaeology: There are no Historic Environment records within the site boundary, however this may just be due to a lack of investigations. The site is in a wider landscape with a significant number of finds and features from multiple periods, especially to the north around the settlement of Carbrooke. A scatter of finds was found following investigations on the existing site. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M200.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Wayland Plateau Farmland' in the Breckland Landscape Character Assessment. The site is a flat arable field bordered to the west by Mill Lane, to the east by Cuckoo Lane, with an existing permitted mineral extraction site to the south, and on the opposite of Mill Lane. To the north, there are arable fields with isolated woodland blocks up to the settlement of Carbrooke. There would be views from Mill Lane and Cuckoo Lane through gaps in the hedgerows; a screening scheme would need to address this issue together with longer views from the direction of Carbrooke.

M200.7 There are no Public Rights of Way within or adjacent to the site.

M200.8 Ecology: The site is 4.47m from Thompson Water, Carr and Common SSSI which is part of the Norfolk Valley Fens SAC and is outside the Impact Risk Zone for the SSSI. Due to this distance, no impacts on this SAC or SSSI are expected.

M200.9 Scoulton Mere SSSI is 2.72km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the swamp, fen and bog communities that occur on island in the mere and around the shore support a diverse flora including several rare and uncommon plants. Whilst the site is within the Impact Risk Zone for the SSSI, provided that no dewatering is proposed as part of the working scheme, no impacts on this SSSI are expected.

M200.10 Wayland Wood, Watton SSSI is 2.78km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the large wood contains entirely semi-natural stands and is still managed under a traditional coppicing system. The diverse flora is typical of ancient woodland and includes one national rarity. Whilst the site is within the Impact Risk Zone for the SSSI, provided that no dewatering is proposed as part of the working scheme, no impacts on this SSSI are expected.

M200.11 The nearest County Wildlife Site is CWS 2091 'Watton Airfield (Army training area) which is 610m from the site boundary. The CWS is an area of dense scrub with patches of unimproved basic grassland; crossed with tracks. Due to this distance, no impacts on this CWS are expected.

M200.12 The nearest ancient woodland sites are: Shepherds Fell, a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) which is 2.34 km from the site boundary, Hazel Hurn, a PAWS and Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) which is 2.47 km from the site boundary. Due to this distance, no impacts on these sites are expected.

M200.13 Geodiversity: The site consists of the Lowestoft formation – diamicton, overlying chalk formations. The site is unlikely to contain geodiversity priority features. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application.

M200.14 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a low risk of surface water flooding with two locations of surface water pooling in a 1 in 30-year rainfall event and a third location in a 1 in 1000 year rainfall event. Sand and gravel extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M200.15 Hydrogeology: The site is located over a Secondary aquifer (undifferentiated) (superficial deposits) and a principal aquifer (bedrock). The site is within groundwater Source Protection Zone 2. The site is expected to be worked dry (above the water table) and dewatering is not proposed at the site. Therefore, no adverse impacts on hydrogeology are expected. However, due to the location of the site within SPZ2, a planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Hydrogeological Impact Assessment to identify any potential impacts to groundwater and appropriate mitigation measures.

M200.16 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 700 metres from Watton Brook, which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards Watton Brook. MIN 200 and the existing adjacent processing plant, which the sand and gravel would be transported to by internal haul route, are both some distance south of Watton Brook. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across this watercourse. Due to the distance of the site from Watton Brook, it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into this waterbody from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 200.

M200.17 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets or water assets within the site. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M200.18 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is not within an aerodrome safeguarding zone.

M200.19 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored to nature conservation with open grassland.

M200.20 Conclusion: Site MIN 200 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 200.

(2)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 200 (land west of Cuckoo Lane, Carbrooke):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and meeting all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  2. The existing haul route and Mill Lane crossing to the existing processing plant to be used, or provision of an appropriate alternative. An application will need to assess potential impacts on the highway network of any crossing of Mill Lane for unprocessed material to the existing plant site;
  3. The existing highway access from the processing plant site to the B1108 to be used, subject to the provision of passing places between the site and the B1108. A routing agreement along with a weight limit will be required to protect Carbrooke settlement north of the site;
  4. The site will need to be phased with the adjacent permitted site so that only one site is worked for extraction at a time in accordance with a phased and progressive working and restoration scheme;
  5. The submission of an acceptable progressive restoration scheme to a nature conservation afteruse to provide landscape and biodiversity net gains;
  6. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study;
  7. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings (including Grade II Listed Mill House and windmill as well as other listed buildings, the Scheduled Monument Site of Commandry of St John of Jerusalem and the Carbrooke Conservation Area), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  8. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  9. The submission of an acceptable, detailed landscaping and screening scheme which ensure that views from Mill Lane, Cuckoo Lane and from the direction of Carbrooke, and the landscape generally, are acceptable and the settings of nearby listed buildings are protected;
  10. The submission of an acceptable Hydrogeological Impact Assessment to identify any potential impacts to groundwater and appropriate mitigation measures if required; and
  11. The site must be worked dry (above the water table).

Broadland sites

MIN 202 - land south of Reepham Road, Attlebridge

Site Characteristics

  • The 17.36 hectare site is within the parish of Attlebridge
  • The proposer of the site estimated the sand and gravel resource at the site to be 2,200,000 tonnes. However, this is based on a very deep extraction which, due to the shape and area of the site, may not be practicable to restore to a suitable landform. At a more reasonable extraction depth, the site would have an estimated mineral resource of around 1,000,000 tonnes. This site has previously received planning permission for the extraction of 545,000 tonnes of sand and gravel; however this planning permission has now expired as extraction was required to be completed and restored by 08/12/2013, which did not happen. The site has been partially extracted, but no operations have taken place since 2009.
  • Based on a recent undetermined planning application (C/5/2018/5004) for mineral extraction at the site, it is considered that a mineral resource of 545,000 tonnes would be deliverable and therefore the proposed site has been assessed on that basis.
  • The potential start date of the site is 2023 and estimated the extraction rate to be 140,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within 4 years which would be within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Breedon Group as a depth extension to a previously permitted and partially extracted site.
  • The site is a partially extracted mineral site, and woodland plantation. The Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being non-agricultural.
  • The site is 1.7km from the Norwich urban area

M202.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 126m from the site boundary. There are five sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary. The settlement of Update is 1km away and Attlebridge is 1.3km away. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M202.2 Highway access: This site would use the existing haul route to access the C261 Reepham Road (a designated lorry route) at the existing access. The site is not within an AQMA. The estimated number of HGV movements is 76 (in and out). The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority.

M202.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth century agriculture with enclosure. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of 20th century agriculture with enclosure, boundary loss and boundary loss with a relict element. The wider historic landscape character also includes agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure, a common, mineral extraction, 18th to 20th century plantation woodland, and a civilian airfield.

M202.4 The nearest Listed Buildings are the Grade II* Church of St Andrew and Grade II Church Farmhouse, which are 1.45km away. There are 9 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. The only Scheduled Monument within 2km of the site is 'Round Barrow North of Sandy Lane' which is 810m away. There are no Conservation Areas or Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M202.5 Archaeology: There are no Historic Environment records within the site boundary, however the lack of HE records may just be due to a lack of investigations. A number of nearby areas have been investigated previously and no archaeological evidence identified.

There have been isolated multi-period finds and the location of a deserted medieval settlement, in the wider landscape. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M202.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site is a partially extracted mineral site and a woodland plantation. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Horsford Woodland Heath Mosaic' in the Broadland Landscape Character Assessment. The site is screened from views in all directions by woodland, the woodland surrounding the northwest segment of the site is a Plantation on Ancient Woodland (PAWs). Marriott's Way is located immediately north of the woodland, and is crossed by the access road. The potential for impacts on this amenity trail would need to be considered as part of any future application. The estimated mineral resource of 2.2 million tonnes is based upon a deep extraction. It is likely to be difficult to suitability restore a very deep extraction on this site. Therefore, the exact depth of a suitable extraction will need to be determined at the planning application stage.

M202.7 There are no Public Rights of Way within or adjacent to the site.

M202.8 Ecology: The site is 1.15km from the River Wensum SAC and is within the Impact Risk Zone for the River Wensum SSSI. The SSSI citation states that the River Wensum is an example of an enriched calcareous lowland river. With over 100 species of plants, a rich invertebrate fauna and a relatively natural corridor, it is probably the best whole river of its type in nature conservation terms. The site is in an elevated position in relation to the River Wensum and any working would be above the water table. Therefore, it is considered that mineral extraction would result in no adverse effects on the integrity of the SAC.

M202.9 Swannington Update Common SSSI is 0.96km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the variations in soils and wetness and a variable topography on the site have provided conditions for the development of an exceptionally wide range of semi-natural vegetation including dry acidic heathland, wet heathland with acidic flushes, fen, birch and alder woodland, scrub, bracken, rough grassland and ponds. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and is located up-gradient of the SSSI. Therefore, the SSSI would not be adversely affected.

M202.10 Alderford Common SSSI is 1.73km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the site supports a wide range of habitats developed in response to variations in soils and topography. The habitats include species-rich chalk grassland, scrub, woodland, bracken heath, marshy grassland and ponds. There is also a bat roost and an outstanding assemblage of breeding birds. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and is located up-gradient of the SSSI. Therefore, the SSSI would not be adversely affected.

M202.11 County Wildlife Site CWS 1344 'Triumph and Foxburrow Plantations' is partially within the site; it is a mixed broad-leaved woodland with rides. Therefore, mineral extraction within this site would lead to a loss of part of this CWS. CWS 2176 'Marriott's Way' is 50m from the site boundary; it follows a disused railway line with an unvegetated central track. Trees and scrub are the dominant vegetation of the track edges, forming an almost continuous corridor as far as Reepham. The site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore no adverse effects on the hydrology of the CWSs are expected. A potential impact could be dust deposition from extraction, if uncontrolled. Therefore, a dust assessment and identification of appropriate mitigation measures will be required as part of the planning application process, to ensure that the CWSs are not adversely affected.

M202.12 The nearest ancient woodland site is Mileplain Plantation, which is a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) and is adjacent to the site boundary and in some places is within the site boundary. Ancient woodlands are irreplaceable habitats and therefore the proposed mineral extraction must not result in the loss or deterioration of the ancient woodland. The working area of the site would therefore need to be set back from the ancient woodland by at least 15-metres to provide a buffer zone. The buffer zone should be planted with native tree species. The site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore no adverse effects on the hydrology of the PAWS are expected. A potential impact could be dust deposition from extraction, if uncontrolled. Therefore, an Arboricultural Impact Assessment and a dust assessment, including the identification of appropriate mitigation measures, will be required as part of the planning application process, to ensure that the PAWs is not adversely affected.

M202.13 Geodiversity: The site consists of the Sheringham Cliffs formation - sand and gravel, overlying Wroxham Crag. There is significant potential for vertebrate fossils within the Wroxham Crag. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(1)M202.14 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a low probability of surface water flooding, with small areas of surface water pooling in a 1 in 1000 year rainfall event. Sand and gravel extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M202.15 Hydrogeology: The site is located over a Secondary A aquifer (superficial deposits) and a principal aquifer (bedrock). The is within groundwater Source Protection Zone 3. The site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore no effect on water resources is expected.

M202.16 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 1.2km from Swannington Beck and 1.1km from the River Wensum (Wensum US Norwich) which are the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbodies. The groundwater level in this area is many metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards Swannington Beck or the River Wensum. If mineral is extracted from MIN 202 it is expected to be processed on site, therefore the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across these watercourses. Due to the distance of the site from Swannington Beck and the River Wensum, it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into these waterbodies from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 202.

M202.17 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets or water assets within the site. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M202.18 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is within the zone where Norwich Airport must be consulted on developments with the potential to increase the number of birds and the 'bird strike' risk to aircraft. Therefore, a Bird Hazard Assessment would be required at the planning application stage.

M202.19 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored to heathland. The depth of working will need to take into account how a suitable landform and habitat can be created on restoration. However, the estimated mineral resource at the site (of 2,200,000 tonnes) is based on a deep extraction. Even with the importation of materials, it would be very difficult to restore the proposed mineral working to a suitable landform. A more reasonable extraction depth would reduce the available mineral resource but would make the restoration of the site to a suitable landform easier.

M202.20 Conclusion: Site MIN 202 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 202.

(4)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 202 (land south of Reepham Road, Attlebridge):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and meeting all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment which identifies any potential impacts to the wider landscape and suggests appropriate mitigation measures;
  2. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  3. The submission of an acceptable Arboricultural Impact Assessment to identify the impact of the development on existing trees and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  4. A minimum of a 15-metre buffer to be left unworked adjacent to the ancient woodland and planted with native woodland species as part of the site restoration;
  5. The submission of an acceptable progressive restoration scheme to heathland to provide landscape and biodiversity net gains;
  6. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study;
  7. The submission of an acceptable Bird Hazard Assessment report to identify the risk of bird hazard to the safe operation of aerodromes and aircraft, identify proposed mitigation of any identified risk, and include a Bird Hazard Management Plan if necessary;
  8. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  9. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures; and
  10. Use of the existing sites access onto the C261 Reepham Road and lorry routing via the A1270 Broadland Northway.

MIN 37 - land east of Coltishall Road, Buxton

Site Characteristics

  • The 23.5 hectare site is within the parishes of Frettenham and Buxton with Lammas.
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 1,450,000 tonnes.
  • Planning permission (FUL/2019/0043) was granted for mineral extraction at this site in June 2021 but had not been implemented by December 2021.
  • The potential start date for the site is 2022 and the proposer of the site has estimated the extraction rate to be 100,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted in just under fifteen years, which would be within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Mick George Ltd (Frimstone) as an extension to an existing site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being Grade 3.
  • The site is 6.2km from Aylsham and 8.9km from North Walsham, which are the nearest towns. The site is 7.2km from the Norwich urban area

A reduced extraction area has been proposed of 17.36 hectares. This would provide a standoff area for the dwellings along the Coltishall Road.

M37.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 15m from the site boundary. There are 20 sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary and five of these are within 100m of the site boundary. The settlement of Buxton is 1.1km away. However, the proposed extraction area is set back from Coltishall Road and the nearest residential property is 96m from the extraction area. There are 13 sensitive receptors within 250m of the proposed extraction area (two of these are within 100m of the proposed extraction area). Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M37.2 Highway access: The site would use a new temporary access, joining the C494 Coltishall Road near the junction with Sandy Lane and then onto the B1354 which is designated as a main distributor route in the route hierarchy. The site is not within an AQMA. As a proposed extension to an existing site, the number of vehicle movements is expected to remain the same but continue for a longer period. The estimated number of two-way HGV movements is 40 per day. The proposed highway access using Coltishall Road is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority.

M37.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is agriculture with 18th to 19th Century piecemeal enclosure. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of 20th century agriculture with enclosure, boundary loss, and boundary loss with a relict element. The wider historic landscape character also includes agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure, enclosed wetland meadow, mineral extraction, leisure/recreation, and 18th to 20th century plantation woodland.

M37.4 The nearest Listed Building is the Grade II Mayton Hall which is 870m away. There are 35 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. There are 3 Scheduled Monuments within 2km of the site; Mayton Bridge is 0.92km away, Great Hautbois old Church is 1.63km away and the 'Roman camp and Settlement site West of Horstead' is 1.71km away. RAF Coltishall Conservation Area is 1.67km from the site. There are no Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M37.5 Archaeology: There are no Historic Environment records within the site boundary, however this may just be due to a lack of investigations. The site is in a wider landscape with a significant number of finds and features from multiple periods, including Bronze Age features and a post-medieval fairground and market. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M37.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site comprises gently undulating arable land. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Bure River Valley' in the Broadland Landscape Character Assessment. The site lies within a wider arable plateau above the River Bure. There is a restored landfill site to the east and an active mineral working to the north east.

M37.7 The site lies approximately 0.75km from the edge of Buxton village to the north, but is immediately opposite five isolated properties which lie along Buxton Road. The site would be difficult to screen from upstairs views from these properties, without a suitable standoff area incorporating advanced planting. Screening should take the form of tree belts with hedgerows closest to the boundaries of the site. This screening has the potential to provide a long term landscape gain by mitigating the differences in landform between the domed landfill and the mineral allocation. Any screening should make use of native species wherever possible; as an overuse of conifers in the landscape would be intrusive in its own right.

M37.8 There is a Public Right of Way crossing the site (Frettenham FP2).

M37.9 Ecology: The site is 4.23km from Crostwick Marsh SSSI, which is part of the Broads SAC, Broadland SPA and Ramsar site. It is outside the Impact Risk Zone for this SSSI, therefore no impacts on this site are expected.

M37.10 There are no SSSIs within 4km of the site boundary and the site is not within the Impact Risk Zone for any SSSI. Therefore, no impacts on SSSIs are expected.

M37.11 The nearest County Wildlife Site is CWS 1411 'Disused Gravel Pit' which is 90m from the site boundary. The CWS includes areas of broadleaved semi-natural woodland, acid grassland, scrub and sparsely vegetated bare mineral soils. The potential exists for impacts from mineral extraction at MIN 37, if uncontrolled. An assessment of potential impacts, including from dust deposition, together with appropriate mitigation would be required as part of any planning application.

M37.12 The nearest ancient woodland site is Clamp Wood which is a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) and Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW); it is 2.25km from the site boundary. Due to the distance from the ancient woodland site there would be no impacts from dust deposition. Due to the distance from the ancient woodland there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the ancient woodland would not be adversely affected.

M37.13 Geodiversity: The site consists of the Happisburgh glacigenic formation-sand and gravel, overlying Wroxham Crag-sand and gravel. There is significant potential for vertebrate fossils within the Wroxham Crag. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during the operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(1)M37.14 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a low risk of surface water flooding, with a two locations of surface water pooling in a 1 in 30 rainfall event. In a 1 in 1000 year rainfall event there is a surface water flow path across the widest part of the site west-east. Sand and gravel extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M37.15 Hydrogeology: The site is partially located over a Secondary B aquifer (superficial deposits) and a principal aquifer (bedrock). However, there are no groundwater Source Protection Zones within the proposed site. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore no effect on water resources is expected.

M37.16 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 1km from the River Bure which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards the River Bure. MIN 37 and the existing adjacent processing plant, which the sand and gravel would be transported to by internal haul route, are both a considerable distance west of the River Bure. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across this waterbody. Due to the distance of the site from the River Bure, it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into this waterbody from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 37.

M37.17 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets within the site. There is a water main within the site and Anglian Water would require the standard protected easement widths for the water main and for any requests for alteration or removal to be conducted in accordance with the Water Industry Act 1991. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M37.18 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is within the zone where Norwich Airport must be consulted on developments with the potential to increase the number of birds and the 'bird strike' risk to aircraft. Therefore, a Bird Hazard Assessment would be required at the planning application stage.

M37.19 Restoration: The restoration proposal is for a low-level restoration with some inert fill to provide an acceptable landform. The site would be restored to a mix of agricultural land, grassland, and some woodland. The proposer of the site has indicated that there may be the possibility of some enhanced public access to the site, as part of the restoration.

M37.20 Conclusion: Site MIN 37 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 37.

Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 37 (land east of Coltishall Road, Buxton):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and meeting all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment which will identify any potential impacts to the wider landscape and suggest appropriate mitigation measures; particularly regarding views from the five properties along the Buxton Road, the PROW, surrounding roads and protection of the setting of nearby listed buildings. The mitigation measures should include a combination of advance planting with native species and bunds;
  2. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  3. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  4. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  5. The submission of an acceptable Bird Hazard Assessment report to identify the risk of bird hazard to the safe operation of aerodromes and aircraft, identify proposed mitigation of any identified risk, and include a Bird Hazard Management Plan if necessary;
  6. The site will need to be phased with the adjacent permitted site so that only one site is worked for extraction at a time in accordance with a phased and progressive working and restoration scheme;
  7. A sufficient stand-off distance around the water main that crosses the site or diversion of the water main at the developers costs and to the satisfaction of Anglian Water;
  8. The submission of an acceptable scheme of working, including progressive restoration to a lower level with final restoration to provide biodiversity net gains and to mitigate landscape impacts, preferably by retention of the planting and creation of acid grassland;
  9. Restoration of the extraction void to use the importation of inert materials only;
  10. The depth of the extraction must be limited, to ensure that the extraction is worked dry, above the maximum level of the groundwater. A Hydrogeological Impact Assessment would be required to establish the maximum depth of working;
  11. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to be studied and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives, an open face to be included within an restoration scheme for future scientific study; and
  12. A new temporary access to be provided onto C494 Coltishall Road, and contributions to any highway improvements which would be required by the Highway Authority to ensure highway safety; and a routing agreement to ensure the site access onto the C474 Coltishall Road is then via the B1354 onto the A140.

MIN 64 - land at Grange Farm, Buxton Road, Horstead

(1)Site Characteristics

  • The 16.76 hectares site is within the parish of Horstead with Stanninghall
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 650,000 tonnes
  • Planning permission (FUL/2020/0045) was granted for mineral extraction at this site in May 2021 but had not been implemented by December 2021.
  • The potential start date for the site is 2022 and the proposer of the site has estimated the extraction rate to be 50,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within 13 years, which would be within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Longwater Gravel Co Ltd as an extension to an existing site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being Grade 3
  • The site is 7.9km from Aylsham and 9.3km from North Walsham, which are the nearest towns. The site is 6.9km from the Norwich urban area

A reduced extraction area of 10.2 hectares has been proposed. This provides a standoff from the properties to the NE of the site.

M64.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 61m from the site boundary. There are five sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary and four of these are within 100m of the site boundary. The settlement of Horstead is 453m away. The standoffs proposed for the reduced extraction area, mean that the nearest residential property is 182m from the extraction area, althought there are still five residential properties within 250m. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M64.2 Highway access: The site would use the existing access route from the adjacent site onto the B1354 which is designated as a main distributor route in the route hierarchy, and then onto the A140. The site is not within an AQMA. As a proposed extension to an existing site, the number of vehicle movements is expected to remain the same but continue for a longer period. The estimated number of HGV movements is 6 per day. The current working is limited by condition within its planning permission to a maximum extraction volume of 50,000 tonnes per annum and this would continue. A highway routing agreement would be required. The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority.

M64.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with enclosure. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of 20th century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss, agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure, and drained enclosed rectilinear grazing marsh (17th to 20th century enclosure). The wider historic landscape character also includes enclosed wetland meadow, mineral extraction, informal parkland, leisure/recreation, and 18th to 20th century plantation woodland.

M64.4 The nearest Listed Buildings is the Grade II* Church of St Theobald (which is also a Scheduled Monument) and is 580m away. There are 46 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. 22 of these are within Coltishall and Horstead Conservation Area which is 850m from the site. RAF Coltishall Conservation Area is 1.29km from the site. The nearest Scheduled Monument is the 'Roman camp and settlement site west of Horstead' which is 460m away. There are 3 Scheduled Monuments within 2km of the site. There are no Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M64.5 Archaeology: The site is located within an area of interest, and there are Historic Environment records of isolated multi period finds and features including a probable bronze age barrow, within the site boundary. The site is close to the boundary of the historic parkland associated with Horstead Hall and is in a wider landscape with a significant number of finds and features from multiple periods. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M64.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site is a large flat arable field. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Bure River Valley' in the Broadland Landscape Character Assessment. The site adjoins a permitted area of mineral working and lies within a wider area of arable farmland.

M64.7 A scheme of working has been proposed, which shows field boundary hedgerows and trees, and it would be important that any planting reinforces and enhances the existing hedgerows, so that they provide some mitigation to the soil storage bunds which could otherwise be intrusive in their own right. An area of woodland trees is proposed to be planted at the north-eastern end of the site to mitigate any landscape and amenity impacts to Largate Farm and the users of the PROW. It would be important that this planting takes place a sufficient period in advance of mineral operations to provide mitigation. Any agricultural land within a restoration scheme should incorporate wide field margins and the retention of the screen planting to provide long term landscape and biodiversity benefits.

M64.8 There are no Public Rights of Way within the site. There is a PRoW (Horstead with Stanninghall BR3) close to the eastern boundary of the site.

M64.9 Ecology: The site is 3.39km from Crostwick Marsh SSSI, which is part of The Broads SAC, Broadland SPA and Ramsar site. It is outside the Impact Risk Zone for this SSSI, therefore no impacts on this site are expected.

M64.10 There are no SSSIs within 3km of the site boundary and the site is not within the Impact Risk Zone for any SSSI. Therefore, no impacts on SSSIs are expected.

M64.11 County Wildlife Site CWS 1409 'Land adj. All Saint's Church' is 270m from the site boundary; it is a semi-improved neutral-acidic grassland with a diversity of forb species (herbaceous flowering plants) with a central oak and sycamore woodland. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table), therefore, due to this distance, no impacts on this CWS are expected.

M64.12 CWS 1411 'Disused Gravel Pit' is 400m from the site boundary; it includes areas of broadleaved semi-natural woodland, acid grassland, scrub and sparsely vegetated bare mineral soils. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table), therefore due to this distance, no impacts on this CWS are expected.

M64.13 The nearest ancient woodland site is Clamp Wood which is an Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) and Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS); it is 1.6km from the site boundary. Due to the distance from the ancient woodland there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the ancient woodland would not be adversely affected.

M64.14 Geodiversity: The site consists of Head deposits - clay, silt and gravel, which are priority features due to their method of formation; Happisburgh glacigenic formation - sand and gravel, overlying Wroxham Crag - sand and gravel. There is significant potential for vertebrate fossils within the Wroxham Crag. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during the operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(1)M64.15 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a low risk of surface water flooding, with one location of surface water pooling in a 1 in 30-year rainfall event which extends in both the 1 in 1000 and 1 in 1000-year rainfall event. There are and two additional locations of surface water pooling in a 1 in 1000-year rainfall event. Sand and gravel extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M64.16 Hydrogeology: The site is partially located over a Secondary A aquifer (superficial deposits) and a principal aquifer (bedrock). The site is within groundwater Source Protection Zone 3. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Hydrogeological Impact Assessment to identify any potential impacts to groundwater and appropriate mitigation measures.

M64.17 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 200 metres from the River Bure which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards the River Bure. MIN 64 and the existing adjacent processing plant, which the sand and gravel would be transported to by internal haul route, are both some distance west of the River Bure. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across this waterbody. Due to the distance of the site from the River Bure, it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into this waterbody from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 64.

M64.18 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets or water assets within the site. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M64.19 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is within the zone where Norwich Airport must be consulted on developments with the potential to increase the number of birds and the 'bird strike' risk to aircraft. Therefore, a Bird Hazard Assessment would be required at the planning application stage.

M64.20 Restoration: The restoration proposal is for a low-level restoration scheme, mainly to arable agriculture with the retention of boundary hedges and the retention of woodland planting in the north-eastern part of the site. The addition of wide field margins, hedgerow formation and tree planting would provide appropriate landscape and biodiversity gains.

M64.21 Conclusion: Site MIN 64 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 64.

(1)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 64 (land at Grange Farm, Buxton Road, Horstead):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and meeting all the following requirements:

  1. A limit on the total annual extraction volume to a maximum of 50,000 tonnes per annum;
  2. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment which will identify any potential impacts to the wider landscape and suggest appropriate mitigation measures, particularly regarding views from nearby properties and surrounding roads. The mitigation measures should include a combination of advance planting of boundary hedges and woodland planting with native species;
  3. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  4. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings (including Grade II* Listed All Saints Church, Scheduled Monument Great Hautbois Old Church, Grade II* Listed Church of St Theobald and the Scheduled Monument of Roman Camp and Settlement site West of Horstead), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  5. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  6. The submission of an acceptable Bird Hazard Assessment report to identify the risk of bird hazard to the safe operation of aerodromes and aircraft, identify proposed mitigation of any identified risk, and include a Bird Hazard Management Plan if necessary;
  7. The depth of the extraction must be limited, to ensure that the extraction is worked dry, above the maximum level of the groundwater. The findings of a Hydrogeological Impact Assessment would be required to establish the maximum depth of working;
  8. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to be studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives, an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study;
  9. The site will need to be phased with the adjacent permitted site so that only one site is worked for extraction at a time in accordance with a phased and progressive working and restoration scheme.
  10. The submission of an acceptable restoration scheme to arable with wide field margins which incorporates the retention of screen planting (boundary hedges, trees and woodland) to provide landscape and biodiversity net gains; and
  11. Contributions to any highway improvements which would be required by the Highway Authority to ensure highway safety, and a routing agreement to ensure the continued use of the existing access route onto the C474 Coltishall Road, then via the B1354 onto the A140.

MIN 65 - land north of Stanninghall Quarry

(1)Site Characteristics

  • The 52.48 hectare site is within the parish of Horstead with Stanninghall
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 3,745,000 tonnes
  • Planning permission was granted for mineral extraction at this site in August 2021.
  • The proposer of the site has given a potential start date of 2024 and estimated the extraction rate to be 300,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within 13 years, therefore 3,745,000 tonnes would be extracted within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Tarmac Aggregates Ltd as an extension to an existing site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being a mixture of grades 2, 3a and 3b.
  • The site is 9.1km from Aylsham, which are the nearest town. The site is 5.5km from the Norwich urban area.

M65.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 13m from the site boundary. There are 13 sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary and four of these are within 100m of the site boundary. The settlement of Horstead is 239m away. The proposed development scheme would include standoff margins to the three properties located at the perimeter of the site, which would increase the distance of the proposed extraction area from these closest properties. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M65.2 Highway access: The site would use the existing processing plant and site access. The site access is via Quarry Road onto the B1150 Norwich Road, which is a designated lorry route. The site is not within an AQMA. The site is proposed as an extension to an existing site with an extraction rate of up to 300,000 tpa which would lead to an estimated 120 HGV movements of sand and gravel per day (60 in and 60 out). As a proposed extension to an existing site, the number of vehicle movements is expected to remain the same but continue for a longer period of time. The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority.

M65.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with enclosure and agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of 20th century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss, agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure and estate fields. The wider historic landscape character also includes drained enclosed rectilinear grazing marsh (17th to 20th century enclosure), enclosed wetland meadow, informal parkland, and woodland (ancient woodland and 18th to 20th century plantation woodland).

M65.4 The nearest Listed Building is Grade II Horstead Lodge which is 310m away. There are 50 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site, 24 of these are within Coltishall and Horstead Conservation Area which is 380m from the site. The nearest Scheduled Monument is the 'Roman camp and settlement site west of Horstead, which is 140m away. There are 2 Scheduled Monuments within 2km of the site. There are no Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M65.5 Archaeology: There are Historic Environment records of multi-period features in the northern part of the site including a probable WW2 military site possibly a training site, within the site boundary. There is a WW2 Royal Observers Corp post on the site boundary. The site is in a wider landscape with a significant number of finds and features from multiple periods, including Roman features including a camp and probable trackway, and a possible settlement. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

(1)M65.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The northern boundary of the site is 670 metres from the Broads Authority Executive Area. The site comprises open arable plateau farmland divided by hedgerows with some boundary trees. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Marsham and Hainford Wooded Estatelands' in the Broadland Landscape Character Assessment. The site lies within a wider area of arable farmland. The land to the south is an operational mineral working. Glimpses of the land can be seen from Frettenham Road to the west through gaps in boundary hedges. Views could also be seen from two properties which lie close to the site perimeter to the west and east respectively. The site is fairly level and it should be possible to design a scheme of working, incorporating screening, which would have an acceptable impact on the wider landscape. The proposal for the site indicates that screening and standoff areas would form part of the working scheme.

M65.7 There are no Public Rights of Way within the site. There is a PRoW (Frettenham BR4) close to the western site boundary at one point.

M65.8 Ecology: The site is 1.4km from Crostwick Marsh SSSI, which is part of The Broads SAC, Broadland SPA and Ramsar site. The SSSI citation states that the site forms an excellent example of unimproved valley meadow and supports a series of intergrading plant communities ranging from damp neutral grassland through species-rich fen grassland to tall fen in the valley bottom. A number of uncommon plants are present and there is additional ornithological interest. The proposed extraction site is in a different hydrological catchment to Crostwick Marsh SSSI and therefore would not adversely affect the hydrology of the designated sites. Due to the distance from the proposed extraction site to the SSSI the designated sites would not be affected by dust deposition and the birds on the designated sites would not be disturbed by noise or lighting from mineral extraction operations. Therefore, no adverse effects are expected on the SSSI, SPA, SAC or Ramsar site.

M65.9 The nearest County Wildlife Site is CWS 1409 'Land adj. All Saint's Church' which is 900m from the site boundary. It is a semi-improved neutral-acidic grassland with a diversity of forb species (herbaceous flowering plants) with a central oak and sycamore woodland. Due to distance, no impacts on County Wildlife Sites are expected.

M65.10 The nearest ancient woodland sites are: Clamp Wood, which is an Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) and Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) and is 0.27km from the site, and Stanninghall Wood which is a PAWS and is 0.89km from the site boundary. Due to the distance from the ancient woodland there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the ancient woodland would not be adversely affected.

M65.11 Geodiversity: This site consists of the Britons Lane sand and gravel member, Happisburgh glacigenic formation - sand and gravel, overlying Wroxham Crag formation - sand and gravel on the west of the site, Wroxham Crag Formation at the surface in the east of the site. There is significant potential for vertebrate fossils within the Wroxham Crag. The Britons Lane sands and gravels are known to contain priority features such as palaesols and erratics in other locations, and therefore they may occur on this site. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(1)M65.12 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a low probability of surface water flooding, with a few locations of surface water pooling in a 1 in 1000 year rainfall event. Sand and gravel extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use that is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M65.13 Hydrogeology: The site is partially located over a Secondary B aquifer and a Secondary A aquifer (superficial deposits) and a principal aquifer (bedrock). The site is within groundwater Source Protection Zone 3. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Hydrogeological Impact Assessment to identify any potential impacts to groundwater and appropriate mitigation measures.

M65.14 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 700 metres from the River Bure which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards the River Bure. The site proposal indicates that the working would not require dewatering, the current permitted site to the south has been worked 'dry'. MIN 65 and the existing adjacent processing plant, which the sand and gravel would be transported to by internal haul route, are both some distance west of the River Bure. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across this waterbody. Due to the distance of the site from the River Bure, it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into this waterbody from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 65.

M65.15 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets or water assets within the site. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure with the site. There are electricity distribution lines running approximately north to south through the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M65.16 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is within the zone where Norwich Airport must be consulted on developments with the potential to increase the number of birds and the 'bird strike' risk to aircraft. Therefore a Bird Hazard Assessment would be required at the planning application stage.

M65.17 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored to a combination of arable agriculture, grassland and woodland.

M65.18 Conclusion: Site MIN 65 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 65.

(2)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 65 (land north of Stanninghall Quarry):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  2. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment to identify potential impacts and suggest appropriate screening and standoff areas to mitigate any identified impacts to an acceptable level, which will be included in any working scheme;
  3. The submission of an acceptable progressive restoration scheme to an arable agriculture afteruse with wide field margins, grassland and woodland to provide landscape and biodiversity net gains;
  4. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study;
  5. The submission of an acceptable Hydrogeological Impact Assessment to identify any potential impacts to groundwater and appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  6. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings (including Grade II Listed Horstead Lodge, Coltishall and Horstead Conservation Area and the Listed Buildings located within it, and the Scheduled Monument of 'Roman camp and settlement site west of Horstead'), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  7. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  8. The submission of an acceptable Bird Hazard Assessment report to identify the risk of bird hazard to the safe operation of aerodromes and aircraft, identify proposed mitigation of any identified risk, and include a Bird Hazard Management Plan if necessary;
  9. The existing processing plant and highway access to be used; and
  10. The site will need to be phased with the adjacent permitted site so that only one site is worked for extraction at a time in accordance with a phased and progressive working and restoration scheme.

MIN 96 - land at Grange Farm (between Spixworth Road and Coltishall Lane), Spixworth

(1)Site Characteristics

  • The 39.03 hectare site is within the parishes of Spixworth, and Horsham St Faith and Newton St Faith
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 1,600,000 tonnes
  • The potential start date of the site is 2023 and the proposer of the site has estimated the extraction rate to be 150,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within eleven years, which would be within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Tarmac Aggregates Ltd as an extension to an existing site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being Grade 3
  • The site is 2km from the Norwich urban area

M96.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 21m from the site boundary. There are five sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary and two of these are within 100m of the site boundary. A standoff area and screening would therefore be required in order to mitigate potential amenity impacts to the adjacent properties. The settlement of Horsham St Faith is 352m away. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M96.2 Highway access: The site would access the A1270 (Broadland Northway) via the roundabout north of Norwich Airport via a new off-highway haul route. The site is not within an AQMA. As a proposed extension to an existing site, the number of vehicle movements is expected to remain the same but continue for a longer period. The estimated number of HGV movements is 60 per day (30 in and 30 out) for the sand and gravel extraction. The site is proposed to be restored by the importation of inert waste (600,000 cubic metres or 1.1 million tonnes per annum over eleven years). The use of inert waste for restoration would produce estimated additional 48 HGV movements (24 in and 24 out) per day. The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority subject to improvements to the roundabout to formalise access to the site, the removal of the existing HGV access at Buxton Road and relocation of the existing processing plant to the south of C250 Church Lane.

M96.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with boundary loss and agriculture with 18th to 19th Century piecemeal enclosure. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of 20th century agriculture with boundary loss and enclosure, and agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure. The wider historic landscape character also includes Norwich Airport, industry, enclosed wetland meadow, informal parkland and 18th to 20th century plantation woodland.

M96.4 The nearest Listed Buildings are Grade II Meadow Farmhouse (210m away), Grade II Barn at Grange Farm (240m away), Grade II Grange Farmhouse (260m away) and Grade I Church of St Peter (300m away). There are 29 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. 11 of these are within Horsham St Faiths Conservation Area, which is 650m from the site. The only Scheduled Monument within 2km of the site is 'St Faith Priory, which is 1.08km away. There are no Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M96.5 Archaeology: The site is located within an area of interest, and there are Historic Environment records of multi period finds, within the site boundary, and a possible medieval trackway crossing the site. The site is close to the boundary of the historic parkland associated with Spixworth Hall, and is in a wider landscape with a very significant number of finds and features from multiple periods. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M96.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site comprises arable land on gently undulating land above the valley of Crostwick Beck. It is divided by hedgerows with small field size in the east with many hedgerow trees. Field size increases to the west with fewer hedgerow trees. The western part of the site is bisected by Marketfield Lane a road used as a public path. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Spixworth Wooded Estatelands' in the Broadland Landscape Character Assessment.

M96.7 The site forms part of a wider area of gently undulating arable land with the pasture lands of the valley of the Crostwick Beck to the north and the former parkland at Spixworth to the south. The NDR (Broadland Northway) runs approximately 500m to the southeast. The site is adjacent to an existing aggregate processing plant. The site lies approximately 0.5km from the edge of Spixworth and 0.6km from the edge of Horsham St Faiths. Working the eastern part of the site may also affect the setting of Spixworth church and the complex of properties around Grange Farm. Two semi-detached cottages also lie close to the southern boundary of the site, and a standoff area and screening would be required in order to mitigate potential amenity impacts. The site is a large area, however, and it is accepted that it may be possible to work parts of the site, with suitable screening without an unacceptable impact on either the wider landscape or views from property.

M96.8 There are no Public Rights of Way within or adjacent to the site.

M96.9 Ecology: The site is 2.22km from Crostwick Marsh SSSI, which is part of The Broads SAC, Broadland SPA and Ramsar site. The SSSI citation states that the site forms an excellent example of unimproved valley meadow and supports a series of intergrading plant communities ranging from damp neutral grassland through species-rich fen grassland to tall fen in the valley bottom. A number of uncommon plants are present and there is additional ornithological interest. The proposed extraction site is located up-gradient of the SSSI and therefore would not adversely affect the hydrology of the SSSI. Extraction is expected to take place at the same rate as the existing mineral working so there would not be an increase in traffic movements. Due to the distance from the SSSI dust emissions could be satisfactorily controlled to ensure that the SSSI is not affected by dust deposition. Due to the distance of the site from the SSSI noise and lighting would not disturb the birds on the SSSI. Therefore, no adverse effects are expected on the SSSI, SAC, SPA or Ramsar site.

M96.10 County Wildlife Site CWS 2205 'Spixworth Bridge Meadows' is 90m from the site boundary. It is a large area of mixed grassland, some very species rich, and there are many wet, damp and dry ditches. The CWS is in a valley with Spixworth Beck running though. The site is expected to be worked dry (above the water table), therefore adverse impacts to hydrology are not expected. A potential impact could be dust deposition from extraction, if uncontrolled. Therefore, a dust assessment and identification of appropriate mitigation measures will be required as part of the planning application process, to ensure that the CWS is not adversely affected.

M96.11 CWS 1396 'Spixworth Meadows' is 480m from the site boundary. The CWS contains three shallow valleys leading to a tributary of the River Bure. The majority is damp, species-poor, semi-improved grassland with areas divided by wet mesotrophic ditches which have a more diverse flora. The meadows are grazed. The site is expected to be worked dry (above the water table), therefore adverse impacts to hydrology are not expected. Due to this distance, no other impacts on this CWS are expected.

M96.12 The nearest ancient woodland site is The Wilderness, which is a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) and is 1.47km from the site boundary. Due to this distance, no impacts on this PAWS are expected.

M96.13 Geodiversity: The site consists of the Sheringham Cliffs formation - sand and gravel, and Happisburgh glacigenic formation - sand and gravel. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(1)M96.14 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a low probability of surface water flooding, with two very small locations of surface water pooling in a 1 in 1000 year rainfall event. Sand and gravel extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M96.15 Hydrogeology: The site is not located over any superficial deposit aquifers. The site is located over a principal aquifer (bedrock). However, there are no groundwater Source Protection Zones within the proposed site.

M96.16 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 200 metres from the Spixworth Beck which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards the Spixworth Beck. MIN 96 and the existing adjacent processing plant, which the sand and gravel would be transported to by internal haul route, are both some distance south of the Spixworth Beck. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across this waterbody. Due to the distance of the site from the Spixworth Beck, it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into this waterbody from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 96.

M96.17 Utilities infrastructure: There is an Anglian Water foul sewer which crosses the site as well as foul sewers and a pumping station adjacent to the site boundaries. There are no water assets within the site. Anglian Water would require the standard protected easement widths for the sewers and for any requests for alteration or removal to be conducted in accordance with the Water Industry Act 1991. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M96.18 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is within the zone where Norwich Airport must be consulted on all development, including developments with the potential to increase the number of birds and the 'bird strike' risk to aircraft. Therefore, a Bird Hazard Assessment would be required at the planning application stage.

M96.19 Restoration: The site proposal does not contain any details regarding restoration. A restoration to agriculture with wide field margins, hedgerow formation and some woodland planting would provide biodiversity and landscape gains. The restoration scheme should seek to retain screen planting. It is recognised that in order to achieve a suitable landform, the importation of inert material is likely to be required and the proposal is for 600,000 cubic metres (1.1 million tonnes) of inert waste material to be used in the site restoration.

M96.20 Conclusion: Site MIN 96 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 96.

(4)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 96 (land at Grange Farm, Spixworth):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment which will identify any potential impacts on the wider landscape and suggest appropriate mitigation measures, particularly regarding views from the nearby properties, Marketfield Lane, and surrounding roads, and provide protection of the setting of nearby listed buildings;
  2. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts, including a standoff area and screening for properties 1 and 2 Church Lane;
  3. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings (including the Grade II Listed Grange Farm House, Grade II Listed Barn at Grange Farm, Grade II Listed Meadow Farmhouse, Grade I Listed Church of St Peter, Grade I Listed Church of the Blessed Virgin and St Andrew, the Schedule and Grade I Listed St Faiths Priory, and the Horsham St Faiths Conservation Area), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  4. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  5. The site will need to be phased with the adjacent permitted site so that only one site is worked for extraction at a time in accordance with a phased and progressive working and restoration scheme;
  6. The depth of the extraction must be limited, to ensure that the extraction is worked dry, above the maximum level of the groundwater;
  7. The submission of an acceptable scheme of phased working and progressive restoration including the direction of working (to assist in the mitigation of amenity impacts), and landscaping;
  8. Submission of an acceptable progressive restoration scheme to agriculture with wide field margins, hedgerow formation and some woodland planting to provide landscape and biodiversity net gains;
  9. Restoration of the extraction void to use the importation of inert materials only;
  10. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to be studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives, an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study;
  11. A sufficient stand-off distance around the rising foul sewer that crosses the site or diversion of the sewer at the developer's cost and to the satisfaction of Anglian Water;
  12. The submission of an acceptable Bird Hazard Assessment report to identify the risk of bird hazard to the safe operation of aerodromes and aircraft, identify proposed mitigation of any identified risk, and include a Bird Hazard Management Plan if necessary;
  13. The submission of an acceptable Transport Assessment or Statement (as appropriate) to assess the impacts of HGV traffic along the access route, and appropriate mitigation for any potential impacts to the highway;
  14. Highway access to be via A1270 Broadland Northway roundabout at Norwich Airport; improvements will be required at the roundabout to formalise access to the site; and
  15. The removal of the HGV access at Buxton Road and relocation of the processing plant to south of C250 Church Lane.

King's Lynn and West Norfolk sites

MIN 6 - land off East Winch Road, Mill Drove, Middleton

Site Characteristics

  • The 10.25 hectare site is within the parish of Middleton
  • The estimated carstone resource at the site is 1,416,000 tonnes
  • The proposer of the site has given a potential start date of 2025 and estimated the extraction rate to be 80,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within eighteen years, therefore, approximately 1,120,000 tonnes of carstone could be extracted within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Middleton Aggregates Ltd as an extension to an existing site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being Grade 4.
  • The site is 4.8km from King's Lynn, which is the nearest town.

Carstone is the only hard rock which occurs in Norfolk and the deposits are limited to a narrow band which runs north-south just to the east of King's Lynn. The quality of the deposit varies with the highest quality being used as a building stone in the vernacular architecture of the northwest part of Norfolk. However, the majority of the carstone deposit, including this site, is unsuitable for use as a building stone and is used in construction for engineering fill.

(1)M6.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 480m from the site boundary. The settlement of Blackborough End is 481m away. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from carstone sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M6.2 Highway access: The site would use the existing internal haul route to the existing quarry entrance on the East Winch Road (C57A) and then travel east of access the A47 Lynn Road at the existing junction, which are both designated lorry routes. The site is not within an AQMA. As a proposed extension to an existing site, the number of vehicle movements is expected to remain the same but continue for a longer period. The estimated number of HGV movements is 30 (in and out) per day. Limited traffic may travel along the East Winch Road and Mill Drove as this is where workshop and storage facilities are located. The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority.

M6.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with enclosure. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of Twentieth century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss, and agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure. The wider historic landscape character also includes Pre-18th century drained fen enclosure, mineral extraction and 18th to 20th century woodland plantation.

M6.4 The nearest Listed Building is Grade II 'Mitre Farm Cottage and attached Oak Cottage', which are 910m away. There are 20 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. The nearest Scheduled Monument is the Remains of Blackborough End Priory, which is 1.01km away. There are four Scheduled Monuments within 2km of the site. There are no Conservation Areas or Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. No adverse effects on the historic environment are expected from the proposed mineral extraction.

M6.5 Archaeology: The site is located within an area of interest, and there are Historic Environment records of isolated multi period finds, within the site boundary. The site is in a wider landscape with a significant number of finds and features from multiple periods. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M6.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Gayton and East Winch Farmland with woodland and wetland' in the King's Lynn and West Norfolk Landscape Character Assessment.

M6.7 The site is located on plateau land above the River Nar and is a fairly flat agricultural field with a tree belt along its northern edge and some hedgerow trees along its southern edge, and any workings would be screened from public view. The site is bounded by mineral workings to the east and a landfill site to the south. Further mineral workings lie across Mill Drove to the west and farmland lies north of East Winch Road.

M6.8 There is a Public Right of Way adjacent to the western boundary of the site (Middleton RB4).

M6.9 Ecology: The site is more than 5km from any SPA, SAC or Ramsar site. Therefore, there would be no likely significant effects on these sites.

M6.10 East Winch Common SSSI is 2.23km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that it is an area of predominantly wet acid heathland on shallow peat. Many wet hollows are present containing diverse fen and mire communities. One rare plant species occurs and also several uncommon species. The site is surrounded by young woodland. Due to the distance from proposed mineral extraction site, no adverse impacts are expected to the SSSI.

M6.11 River Nar SSSI is 1.57km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the River combines the characteristics of a southern chalk stream and an East Anglian fen river. Together with the adjacent terrestrial habitats, the Nar is an outstanding river system of its type. Due to the distance from proposed mineral extraction site, no adverse impacts are expected to the SSSI.

M6.12 The nearest County Wildlife Site is CWS 434 'Disused Pit' which is 860m from the site. It is an area of open water, scrub, wet and dry woodland and acid grassland located on the site of former gravel workings. Much of the site is occupied by steep-sided, flooded gravel pits, with frequent trees and scrub around the edge of the lakes. Due to the distance from proposed mineral extraction site, no adverse impacts are expected to the CWS.

M6.13 There are no ancient woodland sites within 3km of the site.

M6.14 Geodiversity: The site consists of Lowestoft Formation - diamicton, overlying Carstone formation-sandstone and Gault Formation mudstone. The site is unlikely to contain geodiversity priority features. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application.

(1)M6.15 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) of flooding from rivers. The site has a low risk of surface water flooding with three locations of surface water pooling in a 1 in 30 and 1 in 100 year rainfall event. Carstone extraction is considered to be a 'less vulnerable' land use which is suitable in all flood zones, except zone 3b (the functional flood plain). The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M6.16 Hydrogeology: The site is partially located over a principal aquifer (bedrock) and partially over a Secondary (undifferentiated) aquifer (superficial deposits). However, there are no groundwater Source Protection Zones within the proposed site. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore no effect on water resources is expected. In order to ensure that extraction only takes place above the water table, a planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Hydrogeological Impact Assessment to identify any potential impacts to groundwater and appropriate mitigation measures.

M6.17 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 1.1km from the County Drain which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards the County Drain. MIN 06 and the existing adjacent processing plant, which the carstone would be transported to by internal haul route, are both located north of the County Drain. Therefore, the carstone to be processed would not be transported across this waterbody. Due to the distance of the site from the County Drain, it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into this waterbody from any future carstone extraction within site MIN 06.

M6.18 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets within the site. A public water main runs along part of the site boundary. Anglian Water would require the standard protected easement widths for the water main and for any requests for alteration or removal to be conducted in accordance with the Water Industry Act 1991. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M6.19 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is within the zone for RAF Marham where the Defence Infrastructure Organisation must be consulted on developments with the potential to increase the number of birds and the 'bird strike' risk to aircraft. Therefore, a Bird Hazard Assessment would be required at the planning application stage.

M6.20 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored to a lower level to a heathland habitat.

M6.21 Conclusion: Site MIN 06 is considered suitable to allocate for carstone extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 06.

(1)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 06 (land off East Winch Road, Mill Drove, Middleton):

The site is allocated as a specific site for carstone extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. Phasing of the site with other carstone quarries nearby, so that extraction only commences on this site once extraction is completed on other workings;
  2. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  3. The submission of an acceptable scheme of working, which mitigates landscape impacts, to include progressive restoration to a lower level with some inert fill, with final restoration to heathland habitat to provide biodiversity net gains;
  4. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  5. The submission of an acceptable Bird Hazard Assessment report to identify the risk of bird hazard to the safe operation of aerodromes and aircraft, identify proposed mitigation of any identified risk, and include a Bird Hazard Management Plan if necessary;
  6. A sufficient stand-off distance around the water main which runs along part of the site boundary or diversion of the water main at the developer's cost and to the satisfaction of Anglian Water;
  7. Highway access to be via an internal haul route to the adjacent existing quarry entrance on the East Winch Road, and traffic routing via East Winch Road to the A47;
  8. Contributions to any highway improvements which would be required by the Highway Authority to ensure highway safety;
  9. The submission of an acceptable Transport Assessment or Statement to identify any capacity/safety issues at the East Winch Road/A47 junction and contributions towards any junction improvements required as a result; and
  10. The depth of the extraction must be limited, to ensure that the extraction is worked dry, above the maximum level of the groundwater. A Hydrogeological Impact Assessment would be required to establish the maximum depth of working.

MIN 206 - land at Oak Field, west of Lynn Road, Tottenhill

Site Characteristics

  • The 14.7 hectare site is within the parish of Tottenhill
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 750,000 tonnes
  • The proposer of the site has given a potential start date of 2022 and estimated the extraction rate to be 90,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within nine years, which would be within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Mick George Ltd (Frimstone) as an extension to an existing site. The Tottenhill sites would be worked sequentially to mitigate any cumulative impacts.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being Grade 3
  • The site is 6.4km from King's Lynn and 7.2 km from Downham Market which are the nearest towns.

M206.1 Amenity: The nearest residential dwelling is 82m from the site boundary. There are 14 sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary and 2 of these are within 100m of the site boundary. The settlement of Tottenhill is 82m away. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M206.2 Highway access: The site is adjacent to the existing plant site which would be accessed by an internal haul route. From the plant site the site would use the existing plant access, along Watlington Road (C51) for about 150 metres before reaching the roundabout for the A10/A134), which is a designated lorry route. The site is not within an AQMA. As a proposed extension to an existing site, the number of vehicle movements is expected to remain the same but continue for a longer period. The estimated number of HGV movements is 40 per day. The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority.

M206.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with enclosure. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of Twentieth Century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss, agriculture with 18th to 19th Century piecemeal enclosure, unimproved rough pasture, and a common. The wider historic landscape character also includes informal parkland, 18th to 19th Century woodland plantation, a water reservoir and mineral extraction.

M206.4 The nearest Listed Building is the Grade I Church of St Peter and St Paul which is 1.17km away. There are 9 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. The only Scheduled Monument within 2km of the site is the 'Moated site of Wormegay Priory' which is 1.73km away. Tottenhill Row Conservation Area is 260m from the site. There are no Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M206.5 Archaeology: The site is located within an area of interest, and there are Historic Environment records that features exist within the site boundary. There are no HE records indicating finds but this may be as a result of lack of investigations. The site is set in a wider landscape with a very significant number of finds and features from multiple periods associated with Fen edge settlement, including Iron Age/ Roman settlement to the south. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M206.7 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Stow Bardolph settled farmland with plantations' in the King's Lynn and West Norfolk Landscape Character Assessment. The site is an agricultural field immediately to the south of the existing active mineral processing plant. The northern part of the site is bounded to the east and west by woodland belts, with a flooded former mineral working also to the west. The Lynn Road is approximately 125m to the east, for the northern part of the site, with the southern part of the site projecting eastwards up to the A10 (Lynn Road). The southern boundary of the site borders Whin Common Road. A mineral conveyor which goes between an active extraction area to the south and the processing plant runs through the southern part of the site. The site is generally well screened from public viewpoints except at the far south eastern corner where a field entrance provides a view northwards.

M206.8 There are no Public Rights of Way within or adjacent to the site.

M206.9 Ecology: The site is more than 5km from any SPA, SAC or Ramsar site. Therefore, there would be no likely significant effects on these sites.

M206.10 Setchey SSSI is 1.07km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation details the geological importance of the site for scientific study. The proposed extraction site is within the hydrological catchment for Setchey SSSI but it does not drain towards the SSSI. Therefore there would be no adverse impacts to the SSSI.

M206.11 River Nar SSSI is 1.64km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the River combines the characteristics of a southern chalk stream and an East Anglian fen river. Together with the adjacent terrestrial habitats, the Nar is an outstanding river system of its type. The proposed extraction site is in a different hydrological catchment to the River Nar SSSI and therefore there would be no adverse impacts to the SSSI.

M206.12 The nearest County Wildlife Sites are: CWS 385 'Tottenhill Village Green' which is 190m from the site; it is an area of moderately species-rich neutral grassland containing three small ponds which are seasonally dry. CWS 387 'Tottenhill Row Common' which is 273m from the site; it contains different habitat types, the majority of the site is neutral semi-improved grassland, but contains two large ponds and to the southeast is extensive continuous bracken. CWS 384 'West of Tottenhill' is 282m away; it largely comprises ponds resulting from gravel extraction, surrounded by broadleaved woodland. CWS 381 'Thieves Bridge Meadow' is 407m away; it consists of a mixture of habitats situated on both sides of a flowing drain. The majority of the site is neutral grassland although to the northeast there is a large pond surrounded by woodland. The potential exists for hydrogeological impacts from mineral extraction at MIN 206, if uncontrolled. An assessment of potential impacts on hydrogeology, together with appropriate mitigation would be required as part of any planning application.

M206.13 There are no ancient woodland sites within 3km of the site.

M206.14 Geodiversity: The site consists of the Tottenhill gravel member-gravel, overlying Kimmeridge Clay formation-mudstone. There is a significant potential that geodiversity priority features may exist within the Tottenhill gravels due to the method of formation. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

M206.15 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) of flooding from rivers. The site has a low probability of surface water flooding, with one small location of surface water pooling in a 1 in 30-year rainfall event and a 1 in 100-year rainfall event. In a 1 in 1000-year rainfall event there are additional small areas of surface water pooling. Sand and gravel extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M206.16 Hydrogeology: The site is located over a Secondary A aquifer (superficial deposit). The site is not located over any bedrock aquifers. There are no groundwater Source Protection Zones within the proposed site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Hydrogeological Impact Assessment to identify any potential impacts to groundwater and appropriate mitigation measures.

M206.17 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 450 metres from Hobb's Drain, which flows into the Polver Drain, which in turn flows into the Relief Channel which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards Hobb's Drain. MIN 206 and the existing processing plant, which the sand and gravel would be transported to by conveyor, are both located on the same side of Hobb's Drain and Polver Drain. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across the drains. Due to the distance of the site from the drains it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into the Relief Channel from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 206.

M206.18 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets or water assets within the site. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M206.19 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is within the zone for RAF Marham where the Defence Infrastructure Organisation must be consulted on developments with the potential to increase the number of birds and the 'bird strike' risk to aircraft. Therefore, a Bird Hazard Assessment would be required at the planning application stage.

M206.20 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored to an agricultural afteruse at original ground levels. Due to the expected depth of extraction, it is recognised that restoration to arable is likely to require the use of imported inert material to provide a suitable profile.

M206.21 Conclusion: Site MIN 206 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 206.

(1)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 206 (land at Oak Field, Tottenhill):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  2. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings (including Tottenhill Row Conservation Area), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  3. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  4. The submission of an acceptable Bird Hazard Assessment report to identify the risk of bird hazard to the safe operation of aerodromes and aircraft, identify proposed mitigation of any identified risk, and include a Bird Hazard Management Plan if necessary;
  5. The site must use the existing processing plant site, and existing highway access to the A10;
  6. The site must be phased with other sites in the area so that only one site is worked for extraction at a time;
  7. The submission of an acceptable Hydrogeological Impact Assessment to identify any potential impacts to groundwater and appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  8. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment to include the identification of any areas where enhanced screening would be required to mitigate visual intrusion. Where enhanced planting is required, this should be retained in the restoration scheme wherever possible;
  9. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study;
  10. The submission of an acceptable progressive restoration scheme to an agricultural afteruse, with wide field margins and hedgerow planting to provide landscape and biodiversity net gains; and
  11. Restoration of the extraction void to use the importation of inert materials only.

SILICA SAND

MIN 40 - land east of Grandcourt Farm, East Winch

Site Characteristics

  • The 32.77 hectare site is within the parish of East Winch
  • The estimated silica sand resource at the site is 3 million tonnes
  • The potential start date of the site is 2022 and the proposer of the site has estimated the extraction rate to be 750,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within four years which would be within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Sibelco UK as an extension to an existing site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being Grade 4.
  • The site is approximately 1.8km from the Leziate processing plant. The mineral would be transported by an internal haul route to the processing plant.

A reduced extraction area has been proposed of 22.11 hectares. This proposal includes standoff areas between the extraction and the properties along the A47 and Gayton Road.

M40.1 Amenity: There is a residential property within the site, the next nearest residential property is 23m from the site boundary. There are 88 sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary and 25 of these are within 100m of the site boundary. The settlement of East Winch is 23m away. However, part of the site nearest to East Winch is not proposed to be extracted. Therefore, the nearest residential property is 84m from the extraction area and there are 54 sensitive receptors within 250m of the proposed extraction area (three of these are within 100m of the extraction area). Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand extraction sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M40.2 Highway access: It is proposed to access the site via the established internal haul route through the existing adjacent extraction area. Mineral would be taken from the site to the processing plant at Leziate using the internal haul route. The majority of processed mineral leaves the processing plant through the onsite railhead. The road transport of mineral would leave the processing plant via the existing access onto Station Road. The site is not within an AQMA. The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority.

M40.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with boundary loss. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of Twentieth century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss, agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure and a common. The wider historic landscape character also includes mineral extraction, informal parkland and 18th to 20th century woodland plantation.

M40.4 The nearest Listed Building is the Grade II* Church of All Saints, which is 50m away on the opposite side of the A47. The Grade II Hall Farmhouse (formally Church Farmhouse) is 250m away. There are 10 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. The nearest Scheduled Monument is the 'Moated site of Crancourt Manor' which is 790m away. There are 2 Scheduled Monuments within 2km of the site. There are no Conservation Areas or Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M40.5 Archaeology: The site is located within an area of interest, and there are Historic Environment records of isolated multi period finds and features including a WW2 searchlight battery and a former roadway, within the site boundary. The site is in a wider landscape with a significant number of finds and features from multiple periods, including an adjacent site, with an Iron Age settlement which has produced regionally significant finds assemblages. Significant archaeological investigations have been carried out as part of the extraction of the adjacent active site. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M40.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site comprises open arable gently undulating landscape. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Gayton and East Winch Farmland with Woodland and Wetland' in the King's Lynn and West Norfolk Landscape Character Assessment. The eastern boundary of the site is adjacent to part of the village of East Winch, and the A47 (a strategic trunk road) runs along the southern boundary of the site. An active permitted silica sand extraction site is adjacent to the western boundary, and an internal haul route travels north to the processing plant site at Station Road, Leziate.

M40.7 There are filtered views over the site from the A47 and from the Public Right of Way along the western boundary. There are more open views of the site from the PRoW (East Winch FP2) which crosses the site and from the properties on the eastern edge of East Winch. There are also two isolated properties to the south-west corner of the site, adjacent to the A47 which would have views of the site. Based on the existing adjacent mineral working, it is considered that views of the site from the A47 could be sufficiently screened by bunding. The extraction area of the site will need to be set back from the properties in East Winch village and from properties in the south-west corner. A suitable screening scheme will also be required to mitigate the views of the site from these properties.

M40.8 There is a Public Right of Way along the western boundary of the site (East Winch BR1). There is also a PRoW running across the site (East Winch FP2). The PROW would need to be diverted during mineral extraction operations and reinstated as part of the restoration of the site.

M40.9 Ecology: East Walton and Adcock's Common SSSI, which is part of the Norfolk Valley Fens SAC, is 3.79km from the site boundary. The site is outside the 3km Impact Risk Zone for the SSSI and therefore there would be no adverse effects on the SSSI or Norfolk Valley Fens SAC from the proposed mineral extraction.

M40.10 East Winch Common SSSI is 0.74km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that it is an area of predominantly wet acid heathland on shallow peat. Many wet hollows are present containing diverse fen and mire communities. One rare plant species occurs and also several uncommon species. The site is surrounded by young woodland. The potential exists for impacts from mineral extraction at MIN 40, if uncontrolled. An assessment of potential hydrogeological impacts from dewatering, together with appropriate mitigation would be required as part of any planning application.

M40.11 River Nar SSSI is 2.89km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the River combines the characteristics of a southern chalk stream and an East Anglian fen river. Together with the adjacent terrestrial habitats, the Nar is an outstanding river system of its type. Whilst the site is within the Impact Risk Zone for the SSSI, the site is not within the hydrological catchment for the River Nar and due to the distance, there would be no adverse impacts to the SSSI.

M40.12 The nearest County Wildlife Site is CWS 410 'East Winch Common' which is 740m away and is an area of broad-leaved woodland with a number of ponds across the site. The potential exists for impacts from mineral extraction at MIN 40, if uncontrolled. An assessment of potential hydrogeological impacts from dewatering, together with appropriate mitigation, would be required as part of any planning application.

M40.13 There are no ancient woodland sites within 3km of the site.

M40.14 Geodiversity: The site consists of Leziate member – sand and Carstone Formation – sandstone. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(2)M40.15 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) of flooding from rivers. The site has a low probability of flooding from surface water, with one small location of surface water pooling in a 1 in 1000-year rainfall event. Silica sand extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M40.16 Hydrogeology: The site is located over a principal aquifer (bedrock) and partially over a Secondary (undifferentiated) aquifer (superficial deposits). However, there are no groundwater Source Protection Zones within the proposed site.

(1)M40.17 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 675 metres from the Mintlyn Stream/ Middleton Stop Drain, which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards Mintlyn Stream. MIN 40 and the existing processing plant to the north, which the sand would be transported to via an internal haul route, are located on either side of the Mintlyn Stream. The sand to be processed would be transported along an existing internal haul route which currently serves the existing extraction area adjacent to site MIN 40. The potential exists for silt ingress to the Mintlyn Stream from material transported by HGV on the haul route, unless conditions are required. Due to the continued use of the existing haul route, it is not considered that physical impacts on the Mintlyn Stream would occur, provided that the conditions regarding dust in relation to the haul route are replicated in any future planning permission for MIN 40. Due to the distance of the site from the Mintlyn Stream it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into Mintlyn Stream from any future silica sand extraction within site MIN 40.

M40.18 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets within the site. There are two water mains on the boundaries of the proposed extraction area. Anglian Water would require the standard protected easement widths for the water main and for any requests for alteration or removal to be conducted in accordance with the Water Industry Act 1991. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M40.19 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is within the zone for RAF Marham where the Defence Infrastructure Organisation must be consulted on developments with the potential to increase the number of birds and the 'bird strike' risk to aircraft. Therefore, a Bird Hazard Assessment would be required at the planning application stage.

M40.20 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored to a lake area with grassland, woodland and scrub, and an agricultural field with hedgerow reinforcement. The eastern field, which is closest to East winch and opposite All Saints' Church would be restored to an arable agricultural field.

M14.21 Conclusion: The site is considered suitable to allocate for silica sand extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 40.

(2)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 40 (land east of Grandcourt Farm, East Winch):

The site is allocated as a specific site for silica sand extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of acceptable noise, dust and air quality assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  2. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment which will identify any potential impacts to the wider landscape and suggest appropriate mitigation measures, particularly regarding views from the properties along Gayton Road, the PROW and surrounding roads, and protecting of the setting of listed buildings, including All Saints' Church, East Winch;
  3. The submission of an acceptable Bird Hazard Assessment report to identify the risk of bird hazard to the safe operation of aerodromes and aircraft, identify proposed mitigation of any identified risk, and include a Bird Hazard Management Plan if necessary;
  4. The submission of an acceptable Arboricultural Impact Assessment to identify the impact of the development on existing trees and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  5. A sufficient stand-off distance around the water mains on the site boundary or diversion of the water mains at the developers costs and to the satisfaction of Anglian Water;
  6. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings (including the Grade II* Listed All Saints' Church, East Winch), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  7. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  8. The submission of an acceptable Hydrogeological Impact Assessment, based on proportionate evidence,
    • to identify potential impacts to groundwater quality, quantity and levels during both the extraction and restoration of the site;
    • to include the potential for a perched water table to occur in the Carstone aquifer;
    • to propose appropriate mitigation to address any of these impacts and to protect any abstraction points, ecosystems and surface water features that are reliant on groundwater, in particular East Winch Common SSSI.
  9. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to be studied;
  10. The submission of an acceptable scheme of phased working and progressive restoration including the direction of working (to assist in the mitigation of amenity impacts) and landscaping;
  11. The submission of an acceptable restoration scheme which minimises areas of open water, incorporates arable agricultural land with wide field margins and blocks of woodland, which provides biodiversity net gains and does not result in permanent dewatering of a perched water table in the carstone aquifer if one is identified in a hydrogeological impact assessment. In particular, the eastern field opposite All Saints' Church must be restored to arable agricultural land;
  12. The submission of a suitable scheme for the temporary diversion and reinstatement of the PROW; and
  13. The use of conveyor and/or internal haul routes to the current processing plant site.

SIL01 - land at Mintlyn South, Bawsey

Site Characteristics

  • The 21 hectare site is within the parish of Bawsey
  • The estimated silica sand resource at the site is 1,100,000 tonnes
  • Planning permission was granted for mineral extraction at this site in August 2021.
  • The site is part of a former mineral working which was partially extracted.
  • The site is located in an area which has a history of mineral working and is adjacent to restored and permitted workings.
  • The Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being in 'Non-Agricultural' use.
  • The site is approximately 700 metres from the Leziate processing plant and the proposer of the site has indicated that that mineral will be transferred by conveyor to the processing plant.

A reduced extraction area of 15.2 hectares is proposed which excludes land in the north-west corner.

S1.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is approximately 280 metres from the site boundary. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand extraction sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

S1.2 Historic Environment: The historic landscape character of the site is mineral extraction. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of 20th century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss, 18th and 19th century agriculture with piecemeal enclosure, mineral extraction, leisure/recreation, informal parkland, water reservoir, and 18th to 20th century plantation woodland.

S1.3 The site is set within a landscape which has evidence of former settlements. The nearest Listed Building is 'the font against south façade of Whitehouse Farmhouse' (Grade II) which is 302m away. The Ruins of Church of St Michael (Grade II*) Listed Building is just under 650 metres to the west of site SIL01. The majority of the site is screened from the ruins of the Church of St Michael by established woodland. Any future planning application would need to consider whether additional screening would be required for the southern part of the site to ensure that the setting of the church is not affected. There are 13 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. The site is 1.24km from the nearest Scheduled Monument, which is the 'Moated site in Crow's Wood'. There are three Scheduled Monuments within 2km of the site. There are no Conservation Areas or Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. Any future planning application for site SIL01 would need to include a Heritage Statement assessing the setting of heritage assets, addressing the potential for impacts and suggesting potential mitigation measures such as bunding and screen planting.

S1.4 Archaeology: SIL01 contains a series of cropmarks related to undated ditches and banks, together with a possible Bronze Age barrow. A detailed assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required by field evaluation at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site.

S1.5 Landscape: The site is set within a landscape which has been modified over time by the extraction of mineral, particularly silica sand and carstone. Extraction in the 19th and 20th century has resulted in a number of lakes and previously worked areas and the restored workings are important for biodiversity and recreation in the area.

S1.6 The site is on a flat-topped ridge between the valleys of the Gaywood River and the Mintlyn Stream (Middleton Stop Drain). The Gaywood River valley is just to the north of the site and the valley of the Middleton Stop Drain is to the south. The southern boundary of the site starts to gently fall away to the Middleton Stop Drain.

S1.7 The site is within a landscape characterised as 'Farmland with woodland and wetland'. This creates a landscape with different scales of enclosure created by the interaction between woodland blocks, agricultural fields and wetlands. Viewpoints of the site are generally limited by hedgerows and woodland over large parts of the area. It is considered that bunding and screen planting could provide successful mitigation if well designed. Any future planning application for site SIL01 will need to ensure that any proposed extraction is appropriately screened through the use of a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment and appropriate mitigation.

S1.8 There are no Public Rights of Way within the site. There is a PROW (Bawsey RB8) close to the northern boundary of the site and PROW Bawsey RB9 is to the east of the site.

S1.9 Ecology: SIL01 is located 2.8km from Roydon Common SSSI (which forms part of Roydon Common and Dersingham Bog SAC and is also designated as Roydon Common Ramsar. SIL01 is 2.6km from Leziate, Sugar and Derby Fens SSSI. However, the majority of SIL01 is outside the hydrological catchment for both of these SSSIs and is down gradient of these sites. In addition, Bawsey Lakes are located between SIL01 and these SSSIs. Therefore, no adverse impacts are expected on these SSSIs and no likely significant effects are expected on the qualifying features of the SAC or Ramsar site.

S1.10 There is a County Wildlife Site partly within site SIL01 (CWS 416 '70 & 100 Plantations'), therefore part of CWS 416 would be directly affected by mineral extraction. There is also a CWS adjacent to this site (CWS 418 'Haverlesse Manor Plantation') on an area which has been subject to previous mineral working. Due to the proximity of these County Wildlife Sites to site SIL01, there is the potential for adverse impacts to be caused by mineral extraction which will need to be assessed as part of a planning application and mitigation measures proposed, including the provision of biodiversity net gains on restoration.

S1.11 The nearest ancient woodland site is Reffley Wood, which is a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS); it is 2.14km from the site boundary. Due to the distance from the ancient woodland there would be no impacts from dust deposition. There are no likely hydrological impacts on Reffley Wood because land within SIL01 does not drain towards the ancient woodland. Therefore, no adverse impacts to the ancient woodland site are expected from the proposed mineral extraction.

S1.12 Geodiversity: There is the potential for this site to contain examples of geodiversity priority features. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future planning application. There would be a preference for restoration to provide opportunities for further geological research of suitable exposures.

(1)S1.13 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a medium risk of surface water flooding with a few locations of surface water pooling in a 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000-year rainfall event. Silica sand extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

S1.14 Hydrogeology: Site SIL01 is within the hydrological catchments of the Gaywood River and Middleton Stop Drain. The proposed site is located over a principal aquifer and partially over a secondary B aquifer; but it mainly overlays an unproductive secondary aquifer. There are no Groundwater Source Protection Zones within the proposed site. The Environment Agency have stated that there should be no dewatering on site below 13 metres AOD. If extraction below the watertable and/or dewatering is proposed a Hydrogeological Impact Assessment will be necessary to identify potential risks and appropriate mitigation.

S1.15 Water Framework Directive: Site SIL01 is approximately 910 metres from the Mintlyn Stream which is a Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore, overland flows are not expected from the site towards the stream. SIL01 and the existing processing plant at Leziate, which the silica sand would be transported to by conveyor, are both located north of Mintlyn Stream so the silica sand would not be transported across the Mintlyn Stream. Therefore, it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into the Mintlyn Stream from future silica sand extraction within site SIL01.

S1.16 Utilities Infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets or water assets within the site. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

S1.17 Safeguarding Aerodromes: The site is within the zone for RAF Marham where the Defence Infrastructure Organisation must be consulted on developments with the potential to increase the number of birds and the 'bird strike' risk to aircraft. Therefore, a Bird Hazard Assessment would be required at the planning application stage.

S1.18 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored primarily to a lake, with wildlife habitat (acid grassland / heath / inland dune) and an area of geological exposure.

S1.19 Conclusion: Site SIL01 is considered suitable to allocate for silica sand extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy SIL01.

(2)Specific Site Allocation Policy SIL01 (land at Mintlyn South, Bawsey):

The site is allocated as a specific site for silica sand extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of acceptable noise, dust and air quality assessments and a programme of mitigation measures (e.g. standoff areas, screening and/or bunding) to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  2. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact assessment to identify potential landscape impacts. The LVIA will include Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings, archaeological assets and non-designated assets as affected and their settings, together with suitable mitigation measures to address the impacts and conserve the significance of those assets;
  3. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings (including the Grade II* Ruins of Church of St Michael), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation if required. As a result of the historically complex and significant environment in which the mineral resource is present, applicants should consider the potential for early engagement with Historic England, the Norfolk Historic Environment Service and Conservation Officers in the preparation of the Heritage Statement;
  4. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  5. The submission of an acceptable Hydrogeological Impact Assessment, based on proportionate evidence,
    • to identify potential impacts to groundwater quality, quantity and levels;
    • to propose appropriate mitigation to protect any abstraction points, ecosystems and surface water features that are reliant on groundwater, in particular SSSIs, SACs and SPAs.

The assessment will need to consider the precautionary principle as it relates to European designations. The assessment should include a programme of mitigation measures to address identified potential impacts;

  1. No dewatering to take place on site below 13 metres AOD;
  2. The submission of an acceptable Biodiversity Survey and Report including assessment of the potential for impacts on environmental designations, together with suitable mitigation measures;
  3. The submission of an acceptable Arboricultural Impact Assessment to identify the impact of the development on existing trees and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  4. The submission of an acceptable assessment to consider the potential for impacts on the Mintlyn Stream and Gaywood River, including from silt ingress and modification, and appropriate mitigation to prevent unacceptable adverse impacts.
  5. A conveyor and/or internal haul routes must be used to transport mineral from the extraction area to the current processing plant site;
  6. The submission of an acceptable comprehensive working and restoration plan, to minimise areas of open water, to include ecological enhancement and biodiversity net gains, to include provision of geological exposure for future study and to consider opportunities for the improvement of public access on restoration; and
  7. The submission of an acceptable Bird Hazard Assessment report to identify the risk of bird hazard to the safe operation of aerodromes and aircraft, identify proposed mitigation of any identified risk, and include a Bird Hazard Management Plan if necessary.

North Norfolk sites

MIN 69 - land north of Holt Road, Aylmerton

(1)Site Characteristics

  • The 16.86 hectare site is within the parish of Aylmerton
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 2,000,000 tonnes
  • Planning permission (FUL/2019/0001) was granted for 1 million tonnes of mineral extraction in the northern part only of this site in October 2020
  • The potential start date of the site is 2022 and the proposer of the site has estimated the extraction rate to be 100,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information approximately 1,700,000 tonnes could be extracted within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Norfolk Gravels as an extension to an existing site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being a mixture of non-agricultural and grade 3.
  • The site is 3.5km from Cromer and 7.9km from Holt, which are the nearest towns.

A reduced extraction area is proposed of 11.9 hectares, which excludes land to the south (nearest to the A148), the north-eastern corner and land on the south-east and south-west boundaries.

(1)M69.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 85m from the site boundary. There are eight sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary and three of these are within 100m of the site boundary. The settlement of Beeston Regis is 624m away. However, a reduced extraction area is proposed, and the nearest residential property is 140m from the extraction area. There are eight sensitive receptors within 250m of the boundary of the extraction area and none of these are within 100m of the site boundary. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts. The A148 Holt Road is between the southern site boundary and seven of the sensitive receptors that are within 250m of the site boundary.

(1)M69.2 Highway access: The site would access the existing adjacent plant site via an internal haul route and then use the existing site access along the C786 Briton's Lane to the A148 Holt Road, which is a designated lorry route. The site is not within an AQMA. As a proposed extension to an existing site, the number of vehicle movements is expected to remain the same but continue for a longer period. The estimated number of HGV movements is 30 to 40 per day. The Highway Authority has concerns that Briton's Lane is substandard and narrow and that the junction onto the A148 is also substandard. Therefore, road improvements to Briton's Lane would be required, including a right-hand turn lane at the junction between Briton's Lane and the A148, to the satisfaction of the Highway Authority.

M69.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with enclosure. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of Twentieth century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss, agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure, common and heath. The wider historic landscape character also includes modern built-up areas of houses and small farm clusters, informal parkland, leisure/recreation, mineral extraction and woodland (carr woodland and 18th to 20th century plantation woodland).

M69.4 The nearest Listed Buildings are the Grade II Abbey Farmhouse, which is 1.37km away and the Grade II* Church of St John the Baptist which is 1.32km away. There are 9 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. The only Scheduled Monument within 2km of the site is Beeston Regis Priory, which is 1.18km away. There are four Conservation Areas within 2km of the site, they are Sheringham (1.85km away), West Runton (1.02km away), Beeston Regis (1.17km away) and Upper Sheringham (1.69km away). Felbrigg Hall, a Registered Historic Park is 1.76km from the site. No adverse effects on the historic environment are expected from the proposed mineral extraction.

(1)M69.5 Archaeology: There are no Historic Environment records within the site boundary, however the lack of HE records may just be due to a lack of investigations. The site is in a wider landscape with a number of finds and features, most as a result of medieval iron working activity, and WW2 defences immediately to the north. There are also historic earthwork and boundary bank features along the parish boundary between Aylmerton and Beeston Regis. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M69.6 Landscape: The site is located within the Norfolk Coast AONB. The site is a gently sloping arable field on the south side of the Cromer Ridge, and is adjacent to an active permitted sand and gravel extraction site. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Wooded with parkland – Holt to Cromer'. The site is bounded by woodland except for a relatively small section of the eastern boundary. The site contains a small depression which may be the remains of a small scale historic mineral working. The southern boundary of the site is bounded by the A148, although views are screened by woodland, mainly in the form of advanced planting provided by Norfolk Gravels as a means of long-term visual mitigation.

(1)M69.7 The site would form an extension to the existing quarry site, which has been operational since the 1940s and has an Interim Development Order (IDO) planning permission (which does not expire until 2042), with few conditions and limited control over restoration (notwithstanding an ongoing Renewal of Minerals Permission application to update the conditions). In addition, the current site contains a concrete production plant with a permanent planning permission.

M69.8 The whole of the site lies within the Norfolk Coast AONB and the NPPF states that local planning authorities should "as far as practicable, provide for the maintenance of landbanks of non-energy minerals from outside Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty" however, the current site is well screened from public views and the extension site would be similarly screened, so the local landscape impacts are not considered to be significant.

(2)M69.9 A very high-quality restoration proposal for both the existing site, and MIN 69, could offer the possibility of developing a large new area of heathland with greatly improved public access. Taking into account the following factors, it is considered that there are exceptional circumstances for allowing this mineral development within the AONB:

  • The presence of the existing site with its permanent concrete plant and associated employment
  • The limited local landscape and amenity harm
  • The opportunity to facilitate a much-improved working and restoration scheme for the existing site and a high-quality biodiversity led restoration for site MIN 69.

(1)M69.10 If any tree removal is required to facilitate the proposed operations, then the number of trees removed must be minimised and an Arboricultural Impact Assessment would be required at the planning application stage to identify the impact of the development on existing trees and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

(1)M69.11 There is a Public Right of Way adjacent to the western boundary of the site (Beeston Regis BR10). There is a PRoW running through the site (north to south) (Aylmerton FP2). There is a PRoW within the site (Aylmerton FP1). There is a PRoW crossing the NE corner of the site (Aylmerton FP3). These PRoWs may need to be diverted during mineral extraction operations and reinstated as part of the restoration of the site.

(1)M69.12 Ecology: The site is 0.65km from Sheringham and Beeston Regis Commons SSSI which is part of the Norfolk Valley Fens SAC. The SSSI citation states that the site is an area of acidic heathland containing area of species-rich calcareous spring fen on sloping ground. 'Mixed mire' vegetation has developed in seepage zones. These spring fen areas contain many wetland plants that are now locally uncommon. Dry heathland surrounds the fens and supports several species of breeding birds and reptiles. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the hydrology of the SSSI would not be adversely affected. Due to the distance of the proposed extraction site from the SSSI, the SSSI would not be adversely affected by dust deposition.

(1)M69.13 Briton's Lane Gravel Pit SSSI is adjacent to the site boundary. The SSSI citation details the geological interest in the site and states that this pit provides excellent exposures in the Pleistocene Briton's Lane Gravels of the Cromer Ridge. The SSSI covers the whole of the existing mineral extraction site. There is the potential for the geological SSSI to be affected by the proposed mineral extraction site where the existing and proposed sites join along the site boundaries. Therefore, the area where mineral extraction in the existing and proposed site joins and is integrated should be minimised so that the SSSI is not adversely affected by the proposed mineral extraction.

(1)M69.14 Felbrigg Woods SSSI is 1.43km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the Great Wood is one of only two known sites for acid Beech stands in Norfolk. The ancient trees within the woodland and old deer park carry an interesting and diverse lichen flora. The site is also of considerable entomological and ornithological interest. The wood supports a wide range of breeding birds. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the SSSI would not be adversely affected.

(1)M69.15 Beeston Cliffs SSSI is 1.81km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation details the geological interest in the site and states that this is the type site for the Beestonian Stage of the Pleistocene and therefore is nationally important. A nationally rare plant, Purple Broomrape, is present in unimproved calcareous grassland on the cliff-top. The SSSI would not be adversely affected by the proposed mineral extraction site.

(1)M69.16 Weybourne Cliffs SSSI is 2.86km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation details the geological interest in the site with outstanding Pleistocene sections of national importance and marine and vertebrate fossils. Additional biological interest is provided by colonies of sand martins in the cliff-face and of fulmars on the cliff ledges. The SSSI would not be adversely affected by the proposed mineral extraction site.

M69.17 The nearest County Wildlife Site is CWS 1147 'Roman Camp and Beeston Regis Heath' which is 230m from the site boundary. The CWS consists of a variety of habitats including broad-leaved coppice with standards woodland, dry dwarf shrub heath and unimproved acidic grassland. Due to the distance from the CWS there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the County Wildlife Site would not be adversely affected.

(1)M69.18 The nearest ancient woodland site is Great Wood, a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) and Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) which is 1.71km from the site boundary. Due to the distance from the ancient woodland there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the ancient woodland would not be adversely affected.

(1)M69.19 Geodiversity: The site consists of the Briton's Lane sand and gravel member, overlying Wroxham Crag Formation-sand and gravel. The Briton's Lane sands and gravels are known to contain priority features such as palaesols and erratics in the adjacent existing quarry, and therefore they may occur on this site. The existing quarry is also the type-site for the Briton's Lane Formation. Briton's Lane Gravel Pit SSSI is designated for its glacial and glacio-fluvial sediments (part of Cromer Ridge) and could be impacted adversely by insensitive extraction. However, MIN 69 would be a very valuable site for geological study and if a section of the Cromer Ridge could be retained it could lead to the extension of the geological SSSI. Given the site's importance, a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase would be essential. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application.

(1)M69.20 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a low risk of surface water flooding, with one location of surface water pooling in a 1 in 30-year rainfall event, and two locations of surface water pooling in a 1 in 100-year rainfall event. Sand and gravel extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M69.21 Hydrogeology: The site is located over a Secondary A aquifer (superficial deposits) and a principal aquifer (bedrock). The northern edge of the site is within groundwater Source Protection Zone 2. The rest of the site is within groundwater Source Protection Zone 3. The site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore no effect on water resources is expected.

M69.22 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 1km from unnamed streams within the catchment of Scarrow Beck, which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards Scarrow Beck. MIN 69 and the existing adjacent processing plant, which the sand and gravel would be transported to by internal haul route, are both a considerable distance north of Scarrow Beck. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across Scarrow Beck. Due to the distance of the site from the Scarrow Beck it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into Scarrow Beck from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 69.

M69.23 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets within the site. There is water main along the site boundary. Anglian Water would require the standard protected easement widths for the water main and for any requests for alteration or removal to be conducted in accordance with the Water Industry Act 1991. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M69.24 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is not within an aerodrome safeguarding zone.

M69.25 Restoration: The site would be a steeply sided valley restored to dry acid heathland with some woodland / scrub natural regeneration on the upper slopes with re-established public rights of way.

M69.26 Conclusion: Site MIN 69 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 69.

(1)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 69 (land north of Holt Road, Aylmerton):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  2. The site must be worked 'dry' (i.e. above the water table), there should be no discharges into ground water, and site drainage should be via a settlement lagoon. It must be demonstrated that the mineral extraction operation would not have an adverse effect on the integrity of the Norfolk Valley Fens SAC;
  3. The site will need to be phased with the adjacent permitted site so that only one site is worked for extraction at a time in accordance with a phased and progressive working and restoration scheme.
  4. The current highways access along Briton's Lane to the A148 must continue to be used, with improvements to Briton's Lane and the A148 junction being upgraded with a right-turn lane to the satisfaction of the Highway Authority;
  5. A sufficient stand-off distance around the water main that crosses the site or diversion of the water main at the developers costs and to the satisfaction of Anglian Water;
  6. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  7. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  8. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment to identify potential landscape impacts, with particular reference to the Norfolk Coast AONB, together with suitable mitigation measures to address the impacts;
  9. The submission of an acceptable Arboricultural Impact Assessment to identify the impact of the development on existing trees and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  10. Advanced planting (or allowing current trees and hedges to thicken up) along the southern and eastern boundaries of land in the applicant's ownership (some of which would be outside the area of MIN 69) will be necessary to screen the site from public viewpoints, including views from the A148;
  11. Existing woodland areas on land adjacent to the A148 and along the eastern boundary of site MIN 69 (as shown indicatively on the Policies Map) must be retained in order to screen the site from the A148;
  12. The north-eastern corner of MIN 69 (as shown indicatively on the Policies Map) must be retained as a buffer zone to protect the setting and ecology of the adjacent woodland owned by the National Trust;
  13. The submission of a very high-quality working and restoration scheme for MIN 69 and the existing site, showing clearly how the two sites could be worked and progressively restored together to minimise landscape and amenity harm during the operational stages and to maximise the benefits on restoration. Excessively steep 'walls' on the quarry boundary (a feature of the existing site) should be avoided, with gentler gradients necessary;
  14. The restoration must be heathland-led (with some woodland), with a range of different habitats and micro-habitats being included (e.g. a variety of slope angles and aspects), to maximise the potential for plants, invertebrates, reptiles, birds and mammals. No importation of waste materials to assist with restoration will be permitted;
  15. The provision of improved public access on restoration. Footpaths should only be diverted when necessary (e.g. for public safety reasons), and during both the operational stage and on restoration the footpaths should be of appropriate gradients to facilitate relatively easy access. Interpretation boards showing details of the glacial and peri-glacial geology of the site (the reason for the designation of the Briton's Lane Gravel Pit SSSI), heathland ecology and the AONB should be placed at suitable points in the site;
  16. A section of the Cromer Ridge should be retained, if at all practicable, for geological study. The condition of the current geological SSSI (Briton's Lane Gravel Pit) should also be maintained or, where possible, improved. The arrangements at the current site – where academic and student study of the site's geology (by arrangement) is welcomed and facilitated by Carter Concrete – should continue, with the Norfolk Geodiversity Partnership being contacted in the event of interesting finds being made by the site operators; and
  17. A formal aftercare period for at least 25 years after extraction has ceased must be secured through a section 106 legal agreement. These aftercare arrangements will need to include regular clearance of scrub vegetation to maintain heathland habitat and footpath maintenance.

MIN 115 - land at Lord Anson's Wood, near North Walsham

Site Characteristics

  • The 16.88 hectare site is within the parish of North Walsham
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 1,100,000 tonnes
  • The proposer of the site has estimated the extraction rate to be 60,000 tonnes per annum but has not given a potential start date for extraction. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within 19 years. If mineral extraction started in 2023, then 960,000 tonnes could be extracted within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by R G Carter Ltd as a new site.
  • The site is currently a plantation woodland.
  • The Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being non-agricultural.
  • The site is 1.1km from North Walsham and 5.9km from Aylsham, which are the nearest towns.

M115.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 352m from the site boundary. The settlement of North Walsham is 926m away. A 95-hectare extension to the west of North Walsham is proposed to provide approximately 1800 new homes, a primary school, public open space and employment land in the emerging North Norfolk Local Plan. The nearest boundary of this urban extension would be approximately 380m from the site boundary. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. Therefore, no adverse amenity impacts are expected from the proposed mineral extraction.

M115.2 Highway access: The proposed site access would be to the B1150 Norwich Road to the east, which is a designated lorry route. The haul route would potentially follow an existing track through the woodland before reaching the B1150. The Highway Authority considers that a suitable highway access could be formed to the B115, but it would need to include appropriate visibility sprays and be at a location on the B1150 with appropriate levels of forward visibility. Depending upon the results of a Transport Assessment, a right-turn lane may be needed. The site is not within an AQMA. The proposer of the site estimates that 6 to 8 HGV movements per day would be required.

M115.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is 18th to 20th Century plantation woodland. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of 18th to 20th century plantation woodland, 20th century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss (with and without a relict element), agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure and heath. The wider historic landscape character also includes enclosed wetland meadow, a water reservoir, duck decoy pond, horticulture nursery and modern built up areas of small farm clusters.

M115.4 The nearest Listed Building is the Grade II Thatched cottage which is 810m away. There are 11 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. The nearest Scheduled Monument is 'Cross 300m NW of Tollbar Cottages', which is 850m from the site. There are three Scheduled Monuments within 2km of the site. North Walsham Conservation Area is 1.97km from the site. There are no Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M115.5 Archaeology: The site contains a HE record for a WW2 aircraft crash site (B24 Liberator); no other HE records are noted however this may just be due to lack of investigations. The aircraft crash site is legally protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act (1986). The site is in a wider landscape with a number of finds and features with medieval iron working activity, and a battlefield site (the 1381 Battle of North Walsham) immediately to the east. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M115.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Wooded with parkland – Wickmere and Swanton Abbott'. The site is an area of largely coniferous woodland, although there is some scrubby regrowth. Surrounding the site are areas of broadleaved woodland and further areas of conifer plantation, and the site is within a wider Parkland setting.

M115.7 The surrounding landscape setting along the access road is characterised by mature hedgerows field boundary mature oak trees and woodland edge of mixed coniferous and deciduous species. It is imperative that these existing landscape features are retained and enhanced.

M115.8 Retention of woodland buffer zones is proposed along northern and eastern boundaries with substantial areas of woodland surrounding the site on southern and western boundaries. The retention of woodland buffer zones would form a key requirement for this site to be satisfactory in landscape terms and visual impact terms.

M115.9 There are no Public Rights of Way within or adjacent to the site. There is a PROW close to the northern boundary of the site (north Walsham FP9). The haul road from the site to the B1150 would cross a PROW (Swanton Abbott FP11)

M115.10 Ecology: The site is more than 5km from any SPA, SAC or Ramsar site. Therefore, there would be no likely significant effects on these sites.

M115.11 Bryant's Heath, Felmingham SSSI is 0.7km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that the SSSI is an area of dry acidic heathland. The site encompasses a mix of dry heath, wet heath and fen communities. Rich plant communities have developed in the flushed areas and include several plants that are now uncommon in East Anglia. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the SSSI would not be adversely affected.

M115.12 Westwick Lakes SSSI is 0.45km from the site boundary. The SSSI citation states that Westwick Lakes form a compact group of five secluded man-made lakes. The Perch Lake group is of a type rarely found in East Anglia and closely resembles nutrient-poor lakes found in the upland areas. The acidic waters support an unusual aquatic flora and plankton fauna. The other lakes are more typical with abundant water weeds. Large flocks of wildfowl overwinter in the lakes. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and is located up-gradient of the SSSI. Therefore the SSSI would not be adversely affected.

M115.13 The nearest County Wildlife Sites are: CWS 1170 'Lord Anson's Wood' is adjacent to the site boundary and is an area of mature semi-natural woodland and of conifer plantation with broadleaved woodland regeneration. A potential impact could be dust deposition from extraction, if uncontrolled. Therefore, a dust assessment and identification of appropriate mitigation measures will be required as part of the planning application process, to ensure that the CWS are not adversely affected.

M115.14 CWS 1171 'North Walsham Wood' is 330m from the site boundary and is a mainly mature oak dominated semi-natural, broadleaved woodland with an understory of silver birch; there are also two areas of Scot's pine plantation. CWS 1172 'Weaver's Way' is 450m from the site boundary and is a stretch of dismantled railway comprising a mixture of recent semi-natural broadleaved woodland and species poor semi-improved neutral, well-drained grassland with scrub. The proposed mineral extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore these County Wildlife Sites would not be adversely affected.

M115.15 There are no ancient woodland sites within 3km of the site.

M115.16 Geodiversity: This site consists of the Briton's Lane sand and gravel member, overlying Wroxham Crag Formation-sand and gravel. The Briton's Lane sands and gravels are known to contain priority features such as palaesols and erratics in other locations, and therefore they may occur on this site. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(1)M115.17 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a low probability of surface water flooding with one very small location of surface water pooling in a 1 in 1000 year rainfall event. Sand and gravel extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M115.18 Hydrogeology: The site is located over a Secondary A aquifer (superficial deposits) and a principal aquifer (bedrock). The majority of the site is within groundwater Source Protection Zone 3. The western part of the site is not within a groundwater Source Protection Zone. The site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore no effect on water resources is expected.

M115.19 Water Framework Directive: The site is over 1km from watercourses within the catchment of the Tributary of the Bure and the King's Beck, which are the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbodies. The groundwater level in this area is many metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards the Tributary of the Bure or the King's Beck. If mineral is extracted from MIN 115 it is expected to be processed on site. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across the Tributary of the Bure and the King's Beck. Due to the distance of the site from the Tributary of the Bure and the King's Beck it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into the Tributary of the Bure or the King's Beck from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 115.

M115.20 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets or water assets within the site. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M115.21 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is not within an aerodrome safeguarding zone.

M115.22 Restoration: No details on proposed restoration of the site have been provided. The preferred restoration for the site would be a mix of deciduous woodland and heathland, with public access.

M115.23 Conclusion: Site MIN 115 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 115.

(5)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 115 (land at Lord Anson's Wood, near North Walsham):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of an acceptable Transport Assessment or Statement (as appropriate) to assess the impacts of HGV traffic along the access route, and appropriate mitigation for any potential impacts to the highway; and
  2. The provision of an off-highway haul road from the site to access the B1150 to the east. A junction to the B1150 to be formed with appropriate visibility splays and levels of forward visibility to the satisfaction of the Highway Authority. Depending on the results of a Transport Assessment, a right-turn lane may be required;
  3. The submission of an acceptable full biodiversity survey and report, including bat and badger surveys. Depending on the results of the survey, mitigation measures may be necessary to ensure that there would be no adverse impacts on protected species;
  4. The submission of an acceptable Arboricultural Impact Assessment to identify the impact of the development on existing trees and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  5. An appropriately wide screen of trees to be left around the site to minimise amenity impacts on users of the footpath passing close to the north-west corner of Lord Ansons's Wood;
  6. The site would need to be worked 'dry' (above the water table) to ensure there would be no adverse impacts on Westwick Lakes SSSI;
  7. The submission of an acceptable progressive restoration to a mix of deciduous woodland and heathland with public access to provide biodiversity net gains;
  8. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings (including the Grade II Listed Thatched cottage and the Scheduled Monument is 'Cross 300m NW of Tollbar Cottages'), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  9. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment would need to include potential impacts on the wartime military crash site and the 1381 Peasants' Revolt Battle of North Walsham site. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures; and
  10. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study.

MIN 207 - land at Pinkney Field, Briston

Site Characteristics

  • The 12.5 hectare site is within the parish of Edgefield
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 400,000 tonnes
  • Planning permission (C/1/2018/1016) was granted for mineral extraction at this site in August 2019 but had not been implemented by December 2021.
  • The potential start date for the site is 2022 and the extraction rate is expected to be 75,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within 6 years which would be within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Mick George Ltd (Frimstone) as an extension to an existing site to form an agricultural reservoir.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being Grade 3
  • The site is 3.7km from Holt which is the nearest town.

M207.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 280m from the site boundary. The settlement of Hunworth is 692m away. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M207.2 Highway access: The site would use the existing site off-highway haul route which crosses Edgefield Road C468 and joins the B1354 Norwich Road, which is a designated lorry route, at an existing access shortly after West End and Horseshoe Lane. The site is not within an AQMA. As a proposed extension to an existing site, the number of vehicle movements is expected to remain the same but continue for a longer period. The estimated number of HGV movements is 30 to 40 per day. The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority.

M207.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with boundary loss. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of Twentieth century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss (with and without a relict element), agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure, and pre-18th century enclosure. The wider historic landscape character also includes leisure/recreation, water meadow, modern built-up areas of small farm clusters and houses, and 19th to 20th century plantation woodland.

M207.4 The nearest Listed Building is the Grade II* 'Remains of the church of St Peter and St Paul' which is 750m away. There are 36 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. 13 of these are within the Hunworth Conservation Area, which is 0.73km from the site. The site is within the Glaven Valley Conservation Area. The site is 1.59km from Edgefield Conservation Area. There are 2 Scheduled Monuments within 2km of the site. The nearest Scheduled Monument is 'Castle Hill medieval ringwork, Hunworth', which is 0.88km away. There are no Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M207.5 Archaeology: There are no Historic Environment records within the site boundary, however the lack of HE records may just be due to a lack of investigations. The site immediately to the west has been investigated and no finds or features were identified. There are isolated multi-period finds in the wider landscape. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M207.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB or a Core River Valley but is within the Glaven Valley Conservation Area. The site falls within two landscape character areas; the western part is within 'Wooded with parkland – Holt to Cromer' and the eastern part is within 'Tributary Farmland – Hempstead, Bodham, Aylmerton and Wickmere'. The western boundary of site MIN 207 is adjacent to an existing mineral extraction site, which is currently being restored to an agricultural reservoir in the north and will be restored to agricultural grassland in the south with some additional woodland planting. The NPPF states that local planning authorities should "as far as practicable, provide for the maintenance of landbanks of non-energy minerals from outside Conservation Areas" however, the purpose of the mineral extraction is to enable the formation of an agricultural reservoir and the site would be well screened from public views, so the local landscape impacts are not considered to be significant during the period of mineral extraction. Following mineral extraction, the western part of site MIN 207 would be restored to an agricultural reservoir and the eastern part would be restored to agricultural grassland. There is currently planning permission for two agricultural reservoirs to be formed on the adjacent western field, with associated mineral extraction. The agricultural reservoir to be formed within site MIN 207 would replace the proposed second agricultural reservoir in the adjacent field. Therefore, the landscape change on restoration would be similar to that already permitted on the adjacent land because there would be an agricultural reservoir formed on each site, instead of two agricultural reservoirs within one site as currently permitted.

M207.7 Woodland borders part of the northern boundary and screens the site from Hunworth. The eastern and southern boundaries border agricultural fields; however the rolling nature of the landscape, together with isolated woodland copses and hedgerows aid with screening from the Hunworth Road and the Edgefield Road, such that there are few very limited views of the site. Mill House, off the Hunworth Road, is approximately 350m east of the site boundary. Due to the orientation of the property, as well as intervening woodland, hedgerows, and the topography, Mill House would not have a view of the site.

M207.8 There are no Public Rights of Way within or adjacent to the site.

M207.9 Ecology: The site is 2.57km from Holt Lowes SSSI which is part of the Norfolk Valley Fens SAC. The SSSI citation states that this is an area of dry sandy heathland that grades into flushes slopes along the valley of the River Glaven. There is an excellent example of a mixed valley-mire in a small tributary valley that bisects the heath. The mixed mire communities are diverse and reflect the variations in alkalinity and nutrient availability in the drainage waters. Several uncommon plants and invertebrates are present. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and is located up-gradient of the SSSI. Therefore, the SSSI and SAC would not be adversely affected.

M207.10 There are no County Wildlife Site within 1km of the site boundary.

M207.11 The nearest ancient woodland site is Lowes Farm Wood, a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS), which is 1.27km from the site boundary. Due to the distance from the ancient woodland site there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore the ancient woodland would not be adversely affected.

M207.12 Geodiversity: The site consists of the Briton's Lane sand and gravel member, Lowestoft Formation - diamicton, overlying Chalk Formations. The Briton's Lane sands and gravels are known to contain priority features such as palaesols and erratics in other locations, and therefore they may occur on this site. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(1)M207.13 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. No areas of the site are at risk of surface water flooding. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M207.14 Hydrogeology: The site is partially located over a Secondary A aquifer and partially over a Secondary (undifferentiated) aquifer (superficial deposits). The site is also located over a principal aquifer (bedrock). However, there are no groundwater Source Protection Zones within the proposed site. The site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore no effect on water resources is expected.

M207.15 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 600 metres from the River Glaven, which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards the River Glaven. MIN 207 and the existing adjacent processing plant, which the sand and gravel would be transported to by internal haul route, are both a considerable distance south of the River Glaven. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across the River Glaven. Due to the distance of the site from the River Glaven it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into the River Glaven from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 207.

M207.16 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets or water assets within the site. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M207.17 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is not within an aerodrome safeguarding zone.

M207.18 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored to an agricultural reservoir, with the unworked part of the site restored to agricultural grassland. The reservoir would be a replacement for the permitted southern reservoir on the existing adjacent mineral extraction site to the southwest, which would instead be restored to agricultural grassland.

M207.19 Conclusion: Site MIN 207 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 207.

(1)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 207 (land at Pinkney Field, Briston):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  2. The submission of an acceptable restoration scheme to an agricultural reservoir and grassland to provide biodiversity net gains;
  3. Highway access to be via the existing off-highway haul route to the B1354 Norwich Road;
  4. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study;
  5. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact assessment to identify potential landscape impacts, with particular reference to the Glaven Valley Conservation Area, together with suitable mitigation measures to address the impacts;
  6. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required; and
  7. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures.

MIN 208 - land south of Holt Road, East Beckham

Site Characteristics

  • The 16.56 hectare site is within the parish of East Beckham
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 1,320,000 tonnes
  • The proposer of the site has given a potential start date of 2031 and estimated the extraction rate to be 100,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within fourteen years, therefore approximately 800,000 tonnes could be extracted within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Gresham Gravel Ltd as an extension to an existing site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and part of the site includes a solar farm. The Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being 3a and 3b.
  • The site is 5.5km from Cromer and 5.9km from Holt, which are the nearest towns.

M208.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 197m from the site boundary. There are three sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary. The settlement of East Beckham is 560m away. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

M208.2 Highway access: The site would use the existing site access onto the A148 Holt Road, which is a designated lorry route. The site is not within an AQMA. As a proposed extension to an existing site, the number of vehicle movements is expected to remain the same but continue for a longer period. The estimated number of HGV movements is 40 two-way movements per day. The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority.

M208.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with boundary loss and agriculture with 18th to 19th Century piecemeal enclosure. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of Twentieth Century agriculture with enclosure and boundary loss and agriculture with 18th to 19th Century piecemeal enclosure. The wider historic landscape character also includes heath, a water reservoir, carr woodland and 18th to 20th Century plantation woodland.

M208.4 The nearest Listed Building is Grade II Hall Farmhouse which is 270m away. There are 14 Listed buildings within 2km of the site, 9 of these are within the Upper Sheringham Conservation Area which is 250m from the site. The only Scheduled Monument within 2km of the site is the 'Oval barrow and bowl barrow known as Howe's Hill' which is 1.6km away. Sheringham Hall, a Registered Historic Park is 1.02km from the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M208.5 Archaeology: There are Historic Environment records of prehistoric flint finds and a medieval hollow way within the site boundary. The site is in a wider landscape with a significant number of finds and features from multiple periods. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M208.6 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. It is approximately 210 metres from the boundary of the Norfolk Coast AONB. The site is currently an agricultural field, and part of the field contains a solar farm. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Tributary Farmland - Hempstead, Bodham, Aylmerton and Wickmere'.

M208.7 The site is a south-western extension to an active permitted sand and gravel working which is just south of the A148. MIN 208 is a southerly sloping site adjacent to a solar farm to the west. The village of West Beckham is approximately 670 metres southwest of the site boundary. The site is well screened from public roads, although a long view can be seen from the A149 to the north and from Sheringham Road and The Street, West Beckham to the west. Views can be seen from the Public Right of Way on the southern boundary of the site. The site is generally well screened and views from property would be confined to East Beckham Hall and possibly from the upstairs of Mill House. Therefore, suitable screening of the site would be required to mitigate any landscape impacts.

M208.8 There is a Public Right of Way adjacent to the southern boundary of the site (East Beckham FP2).

M208.9 Ecology: The site is 1.45km from Sheringham and Beeston Regis Commons SSSI, which is part of the Norfolk Valley Fens SAC. The SSSI citation states that the site is an area of acidic heathland containing area of species-rich calcareous spring fen on sloping ground. 'Mixed mire' vegetation has developed in seepage zones. These spring fen areas contain many wetland plants that are now locally uncommon. Dry heathland surrounds the fens and supports several species of breeding birds and reptiles. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry (above the water table) and is located in a different hydrological catchment to the SSSI and SAC. Therefore, there would be no adverse impacts on the SSSI and SAC.

M208.10 Weybourne Cliffs SSSI is 2.64km from the site. The SSSI citation details the geological interest in the site with outstanding Pleistocene sections of national importance and marine and vertebrate fossils. Additional biological interest is provided by colonies of sand martins in the cliff-face and of fulmars on the cliff ledges. The SSSI would not be adversely affected by the proposed mineral extraction site.

M208.11 The nearest County Wildlife Sites are: CWS 1146 'Pretty Corner and the Plains' is 400m from the site boundary and is a complex mosaic of semi-natural broadleaved woodland habitats with small areas of neutral, unimproved grassland and patches of dry heath. CWS 2077 'Sheringham Old Wood' is 480m from the site boundary and is mainly coniferous and mixed plantations with small remnant fragments of broadleaved semi-natural woodland, heathland and acidic grassland. CWS 1145 'Gibbet and Marlpit Plantations' is 270m from the site boundary and is an area of acid, oak dominated woodland. Due to the distance from the County Wildlife Sites there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry and therefore the CWSs would not be adversely affected.

M208.12 The nearest ancient woodland site is a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) and Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) (unnamed) in Upper Sheringham, which is 1.05km from the site boundary. Due to the distance from the ancient woodland there would be no impact from dust deposition. The proposed extraction site would be worked dry and therefore the ancient woodland would not be adversely affected.

M208.13 Geodiversity: The site consists of Head deposits-clay, silt, sand & gravel which are priority features due to their method of formation, Briton's Lane sand and gravel member, overlying Wroxham Crag Formation-sand and gravel. The Briton's Lane sands and gravels are known to contain priority features such as palaesols and erratics in other locations, and therefore they may occur on this site. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(1)M208.14 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a low risk of surface water flooding, with two small areas of surface water pooling in a 1 in 1000-year rainfall event. Sand and gravel is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M208.15 Hydrogeology: The site is partially located over a Secondary A aquifer and partially over a Secondary (undifferentiated) aquifer (superficial deposits). The site is also located over a principal aquifer (bedrock). The site is within groundwater Source Protection Zone 3. The site would be worked dry (above the water table) and therefore no effect on water resources is expected.

M208.16 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 100 metres from an unnamed stream within the catchment of Scarrow Beck, which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards the Beck. MIN 208 and the existing adjacent processing plant, which the sand and gravel would be transported to by internal haul route, are both a considerable distance north of the Scarrow Beck. Therefore, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across Scarrow Beck. Due to the distance of the site from Scarrow Beck it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into the Scarrow Beck from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 208.

M208.17 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets within the site. There are five water mains within the site and Anglian Water would require the standard protected easement widths for the water main and for any requests for alteration or removal to be conducted in accordance with the Water Industry Act 1991. There is no electricity transmission infrastructure within the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M208.18 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is not within an aerodrome safeguarding zone.

M208.19 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored to a mosaic of native woodland, scrub, acid grasslands and exposed faces.

M208.20 Conclusion: Site MIN 208 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 208.

(1)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 208 (land south of Holt Road, East Beckham):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts;
  2. The submission of an acceptable progressive restoration scheme to a nature conservation afteruse to provide landscape and biodiversity net gains;
  3. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study;
  4. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings(including the Upper Sheringham Conservation Area and heritage assets within it, as well as the Listed Buildings of Hall Farmhouse, Abbey Farmhouse, Outbuilding at Abbey Farm and the Church of St Helen), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  5. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  6. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment to identify any potential landscape or visual intrusion impacts and appropriate mitigation measures to address these, which will form part of the working scheme;
  7. The site will need to be phased with the adjacent permitted site so that only one site is worked for extraction at a time;
  8. The site will need to be worked without dewatering, unless a Hydrogeological Impact Assessment identifies either no unacceptable hydrogeological impacts or appropriate mitigation is identified to ensure no acceptable impact to hydrogeology;
  9. A sufficient stand-off distance around the water mains that cross the site or diversion of the water mains at the developer's costs and to the satisfaction of Anglian Water; and
  10. The existing processing plant site and highway access to be used.

South Norfolk sites

MIN 25 - land at Manor Farm (between Loddon Road and Thorpe Road), Haddiscoe

(13)Site Characteristics

  • The 21.95 hectare site is within the parish of Haddiscoe
  • The estimated sand and gravel resource at the site is 1,300,000 tonnes
  • The proposer of the site has given a potential start date of 2022 and estimated the extraction rate to be 150,000 tonnes per annum. Based on this information the full mineral resource at the site could be extracted within 9 years which would be within the plan period.
  • The site is proposed by Breedon Group as a new site.
  • The site is currently in agricultural use and the Agricultural Land Classification scheme classifies the land as being grade 3.
  • The site is 11km from Great Yarmouth and 10.5km from Gorleston-on-Sea, which are the nearest towns.

(18)M25.1 Amenity: The nearest residential property is 19m from the site boundary. There are 55 sensitive receptors within 250m of the site boundary and 15 of these are within 100m of the site boundary. Most of these properties are within the settlement of Haddiscoe, which is 55m away. Even without mitigation, adverse dust impacts from sand and gravel sites are uncommon beyond 250m from the nearest dust generating activities. The greatest impacts will be within 100 metres of a source, if uncontrolled. The operational area of the site would need to be set back approximately 100 metres from the nearest residential properties. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include noise and dust assessments and mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts.

(22)M25.2 Highway access: The site would access Crab Apple Lane and then turn east onto the B1136 Loddon Road to the junction with the A143 Beccles Road, which are both designated lorry routes. However, if the mineral is transported to the existing mineral extraction site at Norton Subcourse for processing, then HGVs would turn west from Crab Apple Lane onto the B1136 Loddon Road, continue west along the B1136 Yarmouth Road and then turn north onto Ferry Road to access the existing off-highway haul route to the Norton Subcourse site. The site is not within an AQMA. The estimated number of HGV movements is 80 (in and out) per day. The proposed highway access is considered to be suitable by the Highway Authority, subject to appropriate road improvements along Crab Apple Lane.

M25.3 Historic environment: The historic landscape character of the site is Twentieth Century agriculture with boundary loss and agriculture with 18th to 19th Century piecemeal enclosure. The site is within a wider historic landscape character of 20th century agriculture with enclosure, boundary loss and boundary loss with a relict element; agriculture with 18th to 19th century piecemeal enclosure and modern built-up areas of small farm clusters and residential development. The wider historic landscape character also includes enclosed drained rectilinear grazing marsh (17th to 20th century enclosure), enclosed wetland meadow, mineral extraction, and woodland (carr woodland, regenerated alder carr woodland and 18th to 20th century plantation woodland).

(3)M25.4 There are four Listed Building within 250m of the site; they are Grade II White House Farm (70m away), Grade I Church of St Mary (110m away), Grade II Monument to William Salter set in the churchyard wall (130m away) and Grade II Haddiscoe War Memorial (110m away). There are 13 Listed Buildings within 2km of the site. There are mature screen planting forming hedgerows on all sides of the site, except a section of the eastern boundary closest to Manor Farm; which is the landowner's property. The site is separated from the Church of St Mary by the B1136, Loddon Road, and the screen planting along the road. Views of the church from the road would not be affected by the mineral extraction. The site is enclosed by mature screen planting and users of the road would not have views of the mineral extraction when viewing the church. Due to the screen planting around the site, with the addition of bunding during the extraction phases, it is considered that mineral extraction within this site would not adversely affect the setting of the Church, the monument in the churchyard wall, the War Memorial or White House Farm.

M25.5 There are no Scheduled Monuments, Conservation Areas or Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within 2km of the site. A planning application for mineral extraction at this site would need to include a Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings, assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required.

M25.6 Archaeology: There are Historic Environment records of multi-period finds and features within the site boundary. The site is in a wider landscape with a significant number of finds and features from multiple periods. Therefore, there is the potential that unknown archaeology exists on the site and an assessment of the significance of archaeological remains will be required at the planning application stage, in order to protect and mitigate the impact of mineral extraction in this site. The archaeology assessment may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching.

M25.7 Landscape: The site is not located within the AONB, a Core River Valley or any other designated landscape feature. The site is adjacent to a Core River Valley and is adjacent to the boundary of the Broads Authority Executive Area. The site comprises an arable agricultural field which slopes gently to the northeast, towards the Haddiscoe Marshes. The site is within the landscape character area described as 'Thurlton Tributary Farmland with Parkland' in the South Norfolk Landscape Character Assessment.

(16)M25.8 There are mature screen planting forming hedgerows on all sides of the site, except a section of the eastern boundary closest to Manor Farm; which is the landowner's property. There is also a small area of amenity land (previously a mineral working) adjacent to part of the eastern boundary. The site is separated from the Grade I Listed Church by the B1136, Loddon Road, and the screen planting along the road. There are a number of properties along the northern boundary which borders Thorpe Road, however the mature screen planting will limit views of the site from these properties. The operational area of the site would need to be set back approximately 100 metres from the nearest residential properties and be screened by bunds as well as boundary hedge planting along all the site boundaries.

(12)M25.9 This site, together with a processing plant site and extraction area to the south of the B1136 were the subject of an appeal against the refusal of planning permission, the appeal (APP/X2600/A/13/2197841) was dismissed in 2014. Impact on the setting of the Grade I Listed Church was one of the reasons the appeal was dismissed. Significant factors in the appeal decision were the location of the plant site to the south of the B1136 (the same side as the church), the open nature of the existing landscape on that side of the road, views along the road towards the church, and the expected length of extraction (21 years).

M25.10 The current proposal does not include any land to the south of the B1136. Therefore, views of the church from the road would not be affected by the mineral extraction. The site is enclosed by mature screen planting and users of the road would not have views of the mineral extraction when viewing the church. The appeal Inspector noted that the harm from the working to the south of the B1136 was increased by the longevity of the extraction and the fact that the plant site would be on that side of the road for the whole 21 years of the mineral working. The evidence to the appeal, noted in paragraph 26 of the appeal decision, states the land parcel "to the north, is well screened from Loddon Road and comprises low grade agricultural land, and attracts no landscape objection". In the current proposal, all mineral extraction and associated activity would only take place north of the B1136 and the estimated length of extraction is 9 years. Therefore, it is considered that the site is suitable in landscape terms.

M25.11 This is a Public Right of Way running across the site (from Thorpe Road to Crab Apple Lane) (Haddiscoe BR5). The PROW would need to be diverted during mineral extraction operations and reinstated as part of the restoration of the site.

M25.12 Ecology: The site is 3.84km from The Broads SAC and Broadland SPA and Ramsar site and is outside the 3km Impact Risk Zone for Halvergate Marshes SSSI and Standley and Alder Carrs, Aldeby SSSI, which form part of these internationally designated sites. Therefore, there would not be any adverse effects on these designated sites.

M25.13 The site is 4.36 km from Breydon Water SPA and Ramsar site. Breyon Water is an inland tidal estuary and it has extensive areas of mud-flats that are exposed at low tide and these form the only tidal flats on the east coast of Norfolk. There are also extensive areas of floodplain grassland adjacent to the intertidal areas. Breydon Water is internationally important for wintering waterbirds, some of which feed in the Broadland SPA that adjoins this site at Halvergate Marshes. The proposed extraction site is within the 5km Impact Risk Zone for these designated sites, but outside the 3km Impact Risk Zone for Breydon Water SSSI. The proposed extraction site is located in a different hydrological catchment to Breydon Water and therefore would not adversely affect the hydrology of the designated sites. Due to the distance of the proposed extraction site to Breydon Water noise and lighting would not disturb the birds on the designated sites. Therefore, no adverse effects are expected on the SPA or Ramsar site.

M25.14 There are no SSSIs within 3km of the site boundary and the site is not within the Impact Risk Zone for any SSSIs. Therefore, no adverse effects are expected on SSSIs, SPAs, SACs or Ramsar sites.

(1)M25.15 The nearest County Wildlife Site is CWS 2221 'Devil's End Meadow' which is 170m from the site boundary and is comprised of grassland with wet ditches, a small area of wet woodland and an area of dry woodland, lying along the Landspring Beck. The potential exists for impacts from mineral extraction at MIN 25, if uncontrolled. An assessment of potential impacts, including from dust deposition and hydrogeology, together with appropriate mitigation would be required as part of any planning application.

M25.16 The nearest ancient woodland site is Long Row Wood, an Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) which is 1.55km from the site boundary. Due to the distance from the ancient woodland there would be no impacts from dust deposition. The potential exists for hydrogeological impacts from mineral extraction at MIN 25, if uncontrolled. An assessment of potential hydrogeological impacts, together with appropriate mitigation would be required as part of any planning application.

M25.17 Geodiversity: The site consists of the Haddiscoe formation - sand and gravel, Corton formation-sand (undifferentiated), Lowestoft Formation - diamicton; overlying the Crag group. There is significant potential for vertebrate fossils within the Crag Group. It is likely that geological exposures at this site would be of academic interest. Potential impacts to geodiversity would need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation identified as part of any future application. It would be useful to retain some open faces for scientific study during operational stages, and ideally after restoration, and have a 'watching brief' during the extraction phase in case features of potential geodiversity interest are uncovered.

(1)M25.18 Flood Risk: The site is in Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk) for flooding from rivers. The site has a low risk of surface water flooding with two areas of surface water pooling in a 1 in 30 and 1 in 100-year rainfall event. There are additional areas of surface water pooling in a 1 in 1000-year rainfall event. Sand and gravel extraction is considered to be a 'water compatible' land use which is suitable in all flood zones. The site is not in an Internal Drainage Board area.

M25.19 Hydrogeology: The site is located over a Secondary A aquifer (superficial deposits) and a principal aquifer (bedrock). However, there are no groundwater Source Protection Zones within the proposed site.

M25.20 Water Framework Directive: The site is approximately 700 metres from Landspring Beck, which is the nearest Water Framework Directive waterbody. The groundwater level in this area is several metres below ground level and therefore overland flows are not expected from the site towards Landspring Beck. If mineral is extracted from site MIN 25, it is expected to be dry screened on site. There is the potential that the mineral would then be transported to the existing mineral extraction site at Norton Subcourse for further processing. In either case, the sand and gravel to be processed would not be transported across the Landspring Beck. Due to the distance of the site from Landspring Beck it is not expected that there would be a pathway for silt ingress into the Beck from any future sand and gravel extraction within site MIN 25.

M25.21 Utilities infrastructure: There are no Anglian Water sewerage assets within the site. There are two water mains within the site and Anglian Water would require the standard protected easement widths for the water mains and for any requests for alteration or removal to be conducted in accordance with the Water Industry Act 1991. Electricity distribution lines cross the site. There are no high-pressure gas pipelines within the site.

M25.22 Safeguarding aerodromes: The site is not within an aerodrome safeguarding zone.

M25.23 Restoration: The site is proposed to be restored to a combination of acid grassland, woodland planting and shallow wetland/pond.

M25.24 Conclusion: Site MIN 25 is considered suitable to allocate for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the relevant Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies and Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 25.

(25)Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 25 (land at Manor Farm, Haddiscoe):

The site is allocated as a specific site for sand and gravel extraction. Development will be subject to compliance with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan policies and all the following requirements:

  1. The submission of acceptable noise and dust assessments and a programme of mitigation measures to deal appropriately with any amenity impacts; mitigation measures should include setting back the working area at least 100 metres from the nearest residential properties;
  2. The submission of an acceptable Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment which will identify any potential impacts to the wider landscape and suggest appropriate mitigation measures; particularly regarding views from nearby properties, surrounding roads, and provide protection of the setting of nearby listed buildings. The mitigation measures should include a combination of advanced planting with native species and bunds;
  3. The submission of an acceptable phased working and progressive restoration scheme to a nature conservation afteruse, including retention of boundary hedgerows and trees, to provide landscape and biodiversity net gains;
  4. The provision of opportunities during working for any geodiversity assets to studied, and if compatible with the landscape and ecology objectives an open face to be included within any restoration scheme for future scientific study;
  5. The submission of a suitable scheme for the temporary diversion and reinstatement of the Public Right of Way;
  6. A sufficient stand-off distance around the water mains that cross the site or diversion of the water mains at the developer's costs and to the satisfaction of Anglian Water;
  7. The submission of an acceptable Heritage Statement to identify heritage assets and their settings (including the Grade I Listed Church of St Mary, Grade II Listed monument in the churchyard wall, Grade II Listed Haddiscoe War Memorial and the Grade II Listed White House Farm), assess the potential for impacts and identify appropriate mitigation measures if required;
  8. The submission of an appropriate archaeological assessment, which must be prepared in consultation with Norfolk County Council; this may initially be desk-based but may need to be followed up with field surveys and trial-trenching. The archaeological assessment will be used by Norfolk County Council/Historic Environment Service to agree appropriate mitigation measures;
  9. The submission of an acceptable Transport Assessment or Statement (as appropriate) to assess the impacts of HGV traffic along the access route, and appropriate mitigation for any potential impacts to the highway; and
  10. Provision of a highway access that is considered suitable by the Highway Authority.
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