Object

Preferred Options consultation document

Representation ID: 98356

Received: 14/10/2019

Respondent: Owen Dempsey

Representation Summary:

I wish to register an objection to the proposed change to the County Plan regarding mineral extraction in the area around Tottenhill, Wormegay and Shouldham, especially MIN 206 and AOSs E, F, J and I. I live locally and these developments would affect me.

1) This area already has substantial extraction ongoing in the area between Tottenhill and Watlington which has caused loss of vegetation, farmland and tree cover. The new proposals, especially AOS E, involve destroying ancient woodlands and a much-used leisure area. The existing works have negatively affected the local (Tottenhill Row/Tottenhill) water table and the proposed increased works will almost certainly have an increased impact here and in their locality, eg Tottenhill, Shouldham, Wormegay. MIN76 has already recently been approved, for 285,000 tonnes of sand and gravel extraction, which will add to existing traffic etc pressures.

2) Restoration after the extraction has finished will obviously be some years ahead; it must be questionable whether the extraction company/ies can be relied on to do the restoration work ten or twenty years ahead, especially as the proposed areas are so extensive. Any restoration will obviously be new, and not replace ancient woodlands, archaeology etc.

3) Even if "wet" extraction methods are used, there will be large areas of un-vegetated land exposed after the top cover is removed; this will unavoidably dry out and be blown around causing dust problems over the local area. The 250m limit for dust impact is unrealistic given the relatively open aspect of the area. which will become more open as tree cover is destroyed.

4) The transport infrastructure in this part of Norfolk is not well developed; there is no railway link and no dual carriageway road access. All extracted sand, gravel etc will be removed by road, on single-carriageway roads, with several accident blackspots (A134/A10 roundabout, A10 Whin Common Road junction at Tottenhill, A134 Wormegay School, A10/Thieves Bridge Road junction which has had at least two crashes in recent weeks, A134 Stradsett Junction in the immediate area).
This is the only access for all sites involved except AOS E, but public road access is also given as a potential choice for AOS E.

5) There is no obvious benefit for the local community, for example for employment, as there are likely to few jobs created with modern mechanised extraction methods. Transporting the product is likely to be carried out by existing firms, many of which will be national; even if local it is unlikely that any new jobs would result.

Full text:

I wish to register an objection to the proposed change to the County Plan regarding mineral extraction in the area around Tottenhill, Wormegay and Shouldham, especially MIN 206 and AOSs E, F, J and I. I live locally and these developments would affect me.

1) This area already has substantial extraction ongoing in the area between Tottenhill and Watlington which has caused loss of vegetation, farmland and tree cover. The new proposals, especially AOS E, involve destroying ancient woodlands and a much-used leisure area. The existing works have negatively affected the local (Tottenhill Row/Tottenhill) water table and the proposed increased works will almost certainly have an increased impact here and in their locality, eg Tottenhill, Shouldham, Wormegay. MIN76 has already recently been approved, for 285,000 tonnes of sand and gravel extraction, which will add to existing traffic etc pressures.

2) Restoration after the extraction has finished will obviously be some years ahead; it must be questionable whether the extraction company/ies can be relied on to do the restoration work ten or twenty years ahead, especially as the proposed areas are so extensive. Any restoration will obviously be new, and not replace ancient woodlands, archaeology etc.

3) Even if "wet" extraction methods are used, there will be large areas of un-vegetated land exposed after the top cover is removed; this will unavoidably dry out and be blown around causing dust problems over the local area. The 250m limit for dust impact is unrealistic given the relatively open aspect of the area. which will become more open as tree cover is destroyed.

4) The transport infrastructure in this part of Norfolk is not well developed; there is no railway link and no dual carriageway road access. All extracted sand, gravel etc will be removed by road, on single-carriageway roads, with several accident blackspots (A134/A10 roundabout, A10 Whin Common Road junction at Tottenhill, A134 Wormegay School, A10/Thieves Bridge Road junction which has had at least two crashes in recent weeks, A134 Stradsett Junction in the immediate area).
This is the only access for all sites involved except AOS E, but public road access is also given as a potential choice for AOS E.

5) There is no obvious benefit for the local community, for example for employment, as there are likely to few jobs created with modern mechanised extraction methods. Transporting the product is likely to be carried out by existing firms, many of which will be national; even if local it is unlikely that any new jobs would result.