Preferred Options consultation document

Comment

Representation ID: 94614

Received: 25/10/2019

Respondent: Longwater Gravel Co. Ltd.

Longwater Gravel has proposed that three of its mineral extraction sites, already adopted in the current Mineral Site-Specific Allocations DPD, should be included in the Norfolk Minerals and Waste Local Plan review, these are:

* MIN 64 - Horstead (extension)
* MIN 45 - Coxford Abbey (extension)
* MIN 51 - Beetley (new greenfield site)

As the review seeks to extend the plan period by a further 10 years to 2036, Longwater Gravel initially proposed that an additional site should be considered for allocation, this is:

* MIN 13 - Beetley (now combined with MIN 51)

Since MIN 45 was proposed by Longwater Gravel to be retained as an adopted site in the Norfolk Minerals and Waste Local Plan, changes have been made to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in respect of the protection afforded to Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS). As part of MIN 45 is designated as a PAWS, this means that even though the woodland is a commercial conifer plantation, under the new NPPF, the PAWS designation now effectively prohibits mineral extraction. Due to this change, Norfolk County Council has concluded that MIN 45 is unsuitable for allocation and Longwater Gravel has reluctantly conceded that securing planning permission for MIN 45 is now very unlikely. Consequently, the lack of MIN 45 will result in the closure of Coxford Abbey Quarry by 2027.

Assuming that planning permission is granted for mineral extraction at MIN 51/MIN 13 and the site does become operational, as permitted mineral reserves at Coxford Abbey Quarry become exhausted, Longwater Gravel would seek to maintain continuity of sand and gravel supply to some of its existing customers from MIN 51/MIN 13. From 2027, production could potentially increase from 70,000 tonnes/year to 110,000 tonnes/year. As these sites would be extracted at a higher rate than previously planned, mineral reserves at MIN 51/MIN 13 could potentially be exhausted by 2033. This would mean that MIN 08, which Norfolk County Council has indicated would be planned as a future extension to MIN 51/MIN 13, would need to be worked during the Norfolk Minerals and Waste Local Plan period (2020-2036). The timescale for working the individual sites would be as follows:

* MIN 13: 2020 - 2027
* MIN 51: 2028 - 2032
* MIN 08: 2033 -

Longwater Gravel proposes that Norfolk County Council reconsiders its decision not to allocate MIN 08 and proposes that the site is combined with MIN 51/MIN 13 to create a new 1.85mt site. The site proposal form for MIN 08 will be resubmitted to show details of the new landowner and also to indicate Longwater Gravel as the mineral operator. A revised plan for MIN 08 showing the land owned by the Gressenhall Relief Charity excluded will also be submitted.

Summary: Due to MIN 45 not being allocated, its is likely that MIN 51/MIN 13 (assuming planning permission is granted) will be worked at a higher annual output than previously stated. If this is the case, then reserves in MIN 51/MIN 13 could be exhausted by 2032 and extraction in MIN 08 could be commence as early as 2033. We therefore request that MIN 08 is allocated.

Support

Representation ID: 94615

Received: 25/10/2019

Respondent: Longwater Gravel Co. Ltd.

Longwater Gravel fully supports the Specific Site Allocation Policy MIN 51/MIN 13 - land west of Bilney Road, Beetley.

Support

Representation ID: 94619

Received: 25/10/2019

Respondent: Longwater Gravel Co. Ltd.

Summary: Longwater Gravel fully supports the allocation of MIN 51/MIN 13 - land west of Bilney Road, Beetley in the Norfolk Minerals and Waste Local Plan, but asks that MIN 08 is also allocated as it is likely, due to the anticipated closure of Coxford Abbey Quarry, that MIN 51/MIN 13 will be worked at a higher annual output and will therefore exhaust reserves before the end of the plan period.

Longwater Gravel fully supports Norfolk County Council's proposal to include MIN 51/MIN 13 as a preferred site in the Norfolk Minerals and Waste Local Plan review. Longwater Gravel also supports the detail of the Specific Site Allocation Policy for MIN 51/MIN 13.

A separate response setting out the justification for the inclusion of MIN 08 within the Norfolk Minerals and Waste Local Plan has been submitted under MIN 08 - Land North of Stoney Lane, Beetley. Longwater Gravel are now the preferred operator for working this site and consider that MIN 08 will be required to maintain sand and gravel supply towards the end of the Plan period and forms a logical extension to mineral extraction in areas MIN 51 and MIN 13.

Longwater Gravel intends to submit a planning application to seek permission to extract sand and gravel from MIN 13, MIN 51 and MIN 08 as a combined site as opposed to three separate individual sites operating at the same time. Processing activities, i.e. washing, screening, crushing, etc. of sand and gravel would only take place on MIN 13. Initially, the output of sand and gravel from MIN 13 will be 70,000 tonnes/year. From 2027, due to the anticipated closure of Coxford Abbey Quarry, the output of sand and gravel from MIN 13 will rise to 110,000 tonnes/year.

HGV movements would be restricted to MIN 13 only with access to and from the road network using an entrance road from MIN 13 onto Rawhall Lane at the northeast corner of the site. No HGV's will be required to access MIN 51 or MIN 08. Initially, HGV movements will be around 10 per day from the site with this rising to 15 from 2027.

Whilst extraction takes place in MIN 13, MIN 51 and MIN 08 would be retained in agricultural use. Only when mineral reserves have been exhausted in MIN 13 would extraction commence in MIN 51 and only when mineral reserves have been exhausted in MIN 51 would extraction commence in MIN 08. During the mineral plan period, the timescales for working the three sites is anticipated to be as follows:

MIN 13: 2020 - 2027
MIN 51: 2028 - 2032
MIN 08: 2033 -

During the extraction phases, all three sites would be progressively restored and the land returned to agricultural use along with appropriate biodiversity/habitat creation. Only the operations area in MIN 13 would remain unrestored until mineral extraction from the final phase of MIN 08 is completed.

Support

Representation ID: 94637

Received: 25/10/2019

Respondent: Longwater Gravel Co. Ltd.

Longwater Gravel has now been successfully granted a licence by the Environment Agency to abstract water 25,000m3/year for mineral washing from a borehole located and installed at MIN 13. Licence number AN/034/0011/079.