Object

Representation ID: 92048

Received: 10/08/2018

Respondent: Mr B Donovan

I received a letter explaining proposed site MIN 71. I appreciate the balanced content of it. Agreeing to this change of use from agricultural use to a gravel extraction site raises many concerns, many of which you have mentioned.

My concerns include :
* How often have gravel extraction sites opened in Norfolk so close to a town, indeed to a residential area?
* How often have gravel extraction sites opened in Norfolk so close to protected or sensitive areas?
* How long the working day is, and how many days of the week?
* Will the site need to be flood lit during the shorter days of the week (i.e. winter)
* The plan refers to the time period up to 2036, but how long will this site stay operational?
* The impact on the value of nearby properties from now on (not just when it is operational)
* The impact on the wide range of wildlife in the direct area and surrounding. (insects to plants to birds and mammals)

* I ma trying to understand the local traffic impact...please correct me if I am wrong on the following potential concerns:

 Your link* below suggests that at least 500,000 tonnes could be extracted between 2030 and 2036?
 When full, I understand eight wheeler trucks carry up to 20 tonnes, so that will be a minimum of 500,000/20 = 25,000 journeys over 5 years approximately, i.e. 5,000 journeys per year.
 At 25 loads per day (letter says 20 to 30), that means the trucks will leave site 5000/ 25 = 200 days of the year.
 There are only about 250 working days in each year, so the site will be working maximum at 200/250 , i.e. 80% of the weekdays.
 The truck loads may average 25 times a day, but all trucks will have to go and come back so that doubles the number of times a truck may pass by me daily to 50 times a day. Over an 8 hour day, that a truck nearly every (8 x 60 mins)/ 50 = 9.6 trucks per hour... nearly every 6 minutes.

*(https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/what-we-do-and-how-we-work/policy-performance-and-partnerships/policies-and-strategies/minerals-and-waste-planning-policies/norfolk-minerals-and-waste-local-plan-review )

I can see from the plans and your letter that the following subjects have been noted , but what impact will all these aspects have, and have they been carefully and fairly reviewed:

Issue to Manage: Noise
Effects: General noise emission standards; Noise standards associated with particular types of activities; Standards associated with buffer zones; Timing restrictions on operations; Part of quarry management plan? Use of noise barriers such as earth bunds or acoustic fences; Equipment type and insulation

Issue to manage: Vibration
Effects: General vibration standards; Timing restrictions on operations; Part of quarry management plan?

Issue to manage: Dust and air quality effects
Effects: Performance standards for particulate matter; Assessment criteria to determine dust effects; Best practicable option; Part of quarry management plan?

Issue to manage: Earthworks, stockpiling and overburden
Effects: Part of quarry management plan? (including an earthworks management plan; Assigning council responsibility; Screening and landscaping

Issue to manage: Traffic
Effects: General traffic movement standards; Part of quarry management plan? (which often includes a traffic management plan)

Issue to manage: Water quality and use
Effects: Guidelines; Activity performance standards; Part of quarry management plan?

Issue to manage: Vegetation removal and ecological effects
Effects: Activity performance standards; Offsetting; Quarry and landscape management plan

Issue to manage: Visual effects
Effects: General bulk and location standards; Part of quarry management plan? Progressive restoration and rehabilitation; Use of visual barriers such as earth bunds or solid fences

Issue to manage: Cultural and historic heritage values
Effects: Policies relating to archaeological sites;
Consultation policies and agreements; Cultural impact assessments and cultural value reports; Part of quarry management plan? Avoiding specific sites,

Issue to manage: Rehabilitation
Effects: Part of quarry management plan? Rehabilitation plan