Open Report on behalf of Richard Wills Executive Director for Communities. Planning and Regulation Committee. County Matter Application - S38/0590/13

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1 Agenda Item 5.10 Report Reference: 5.10 Regulatory and Other Committee Open Report on behalf of Richard Wills Executive Director for Communities Report to: Planning and Regulation Committee Date: 10 June 2013 Subject: County Matter Application - S38/0590/13 Summary: The prior approval of the Mineral Planning Authority is sought by Hanbeck Natural Stone Limited to reposition 2 No. stone processing buildings together with 4 No. ancillary storage containers and, to erect 3 No. additional stone processing sheds at Station Quarry (Great Ponton Quarry) Dallygate Lane, Great Ponton. The proposed buildings would be located within the redundant car parking area of the site. The development is considered acceptable within this location. Recommendation: It is recommended that prior approval be granted. Background 1. Under Article 3 and Schedule 2, Part 19 Class B of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 planning permission is given for certain ancillary mining development subject to the prior approval of the Mineral Planning Authority. Approval cannot be refused or granted subject to conditions unless the authority is satisfied that it is expedient to do so because: a) the proposed development would injure the amenity of the neighbourhood and modification can reasonably be made or conditions reasonably imposed in order to reduce that injury; or b) the proposed development ought to be, and can reasonably be sited elsewhere. 2. Development is permitted by Class B subject to the condition that before the end of the period of 24 months from the date when the mining operations have permanently ceased, or any longer period which the Mineral Planning Authority agrees in writing: Page 1 Page 221

2 a) all buildings, plant, machinery, structures or erections permitted by this Class shall be removed from the land unless the Mineral Planning Authority have otherwise agreed in writing; and b) the land shall be restored, as far as practicable, to its condition before the development took place or restored to such a condition as may be agreed in writing between the Mineral Planning Authority and the developer. The Application 3. It is proposed to reposition two stone processing buildings together with four ancillary storage containers and to erect three additional stone processing sheds in the north western part the quarry - in an area currently used in part for staff parking, office and welfare facilities and weighbridge. Products storage and new car parking areas would also be created in this area. 4. In association with these it is proposed to install a water storage tank, harvesting water from the roofs of the buildings. The water would aid the stone processing activities and dust suppression. 5. The existing two buildings housing machinery for the processing, dressing, shaping, finishing and packing of limestone for building and landscaping purposes were granted permission on 6 October 2010 under planning permission Ref No S38/1930/10. One measures 14.8m by 5.4m with a height of 4.3m, and the other 6m by 6.25m with a height of 4m. The relocation of these would permit access to mineral reserves that would otherwise be sterilised. 6. The Site Office and Welfare Facilities currently located within the north western part of the quarry - each measuring 4m by 10m with a height of 4m, would be retained but re-orientated to enable other buildings to be accommodated in this area. 7. Three new processing sheds would be erected: two measuring 15.5 m by 10m with heights of 4m; and one measuring 24m by 10m with a height of 4m. 8. The proposed water storage tank would measure 9m by 4m with a height of 1.5m and would contain a sediment settling chamber. 9. Three of the four ancillary storage containers would be stationed in close proximity to the buildings. These would measure 5.75m by 1.5m with heights of 4m. The other would be stationed in the products storage area and measure 3m by 7.5m with a height of 4m. 10. The construction of the additional buildings and associated containers and water tank would provide production efficiencies and improved workplace conditions with the capacity to increase employment. The environmental Page 2 Page 222

3 benefits would be better dust and noise suppression and improved management of surface water and processing slurries. Site and Surroundings 11. Great Ponton Quarry is located 6km south of Grantham and 1km east of Great Ponton village. The quarry is sited between the East Coast railway line and the B6403 (High Dike) road which lies to the east. 12. The main access to the quarry is off the B6403 (High Dike). A concrete internal haul road (approximately 550m in length) leads from this access and drops down into the base of the quarry. The quarry's former access off Dallygate Lane to the north is permitted to be used by quarry employees, visitors and in cases of emergency. 13. The quarry workings and ancillary land are well screened from both roads by a long established row of trees, bunds and shrubs. There are no open views into the site. 14. The line of a public footpath (Great Ponton No.14) runs along the internal western boundary of the quarry but at present appears to be disused. 15. The site for the relocation, erection of new structures and creation of products storage and car parking would be in an area to the north west of the quarry in an area currently containing a large unused car park, a weighbridge and a redundant office and welfare facility. This area is bounded: to the east by an 8m high quarry face topped by a hedge; to the west by the line of the footpath and immediately beyond, a 6m high railway embankment that is densely planted with mature trees and shrubs except for a 4m wide break in the embankment that gives limited views into the access of the adjacent railway sidings and is secured with 4m high chain-link fencing; to the south, the area opens into the main part of the quarry and is bisected by a haul road; and to the north by Dallygate lane. 16. A 3m high screening bund has been constructed across the access from Dallygate Lane, set back 40m from the gates. This will be modified in due course to allow access for cars and light goods vehicles only. On either side of the access the boundary is marked by dense vegetation. The bund, the dense boundary planting and the quarry faces screen the quarry and ancillary activities from this road. Results of Consultation and Publicity 17. (a) Great Ponton Parish Council was consulted on 27 February 2013 but no response had been received at the time of preparing this report. Page 3 Page 223

4 (b) Local County Council Member, Councillor B Adams who is member of the Committee reserves his position until the date of the meeting. (c) Environment Agency was consulted on 27 February 2013 but no response had been received at the time of preparing this report. (d) Countryside Access (Lincolnshire County Council) was consulted on 6 March 2013 but no response had been received at the time of preparing this report. (e) South Kesteven District Council (Environmental Health Office) was consulted on 27 February 2013 but no response had been received. District Council s Recommendations 18. The South Kesteven District Council has no objections to raise. Conclusions 19. The Station Quarry, Great Ponton is an established limestone quarry. The proposal is covered by Part 19 Class B of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 and is therefore only subject to the prior approval procedure. As stated in the background section of this report, the basis for refusing such an application is very limited. 20. In this case, it is considered that the proposal would be located in the most appropriate part of the quarry an area which has previously been used for ancillary activities and where the proposal would not sterilise reserves. 21. The proposal would be well screened and would not be visible from outside the quarry. Although it would be visible from a short section of the adjacent disused public footpath, it is considered that the proposal would not have a significant detrimental impact on any future users given the existing use of the area. 22. The proposed development would be used in conjunction with the existing quarry operations and it would therefore be subject to the same operational constraints, including hours of working, access, noise, dust and water management. RECOMMENDATIONS That prior approval be granted. Informative The applicant's attention is drawn to the existence of a Public Footpath (Great Ponton No. 14) which runs along the western boundary of the site. The applicant Page 4 Page 224

5 should be aware of his/her obligations not to interfere with the Public Right of Way either whilst the quarry is in operation or once it has been restored unless a formal diversion Order has been obtained. It is recommended that the applicant contacts Lincolnshire County Council's Public Rights of Way Section on for further information on these obligations and details on how to make a formal diversion order (permanent or temporary) should this be required. Appendices These are listed below and attached at the back of the report Appendix A Committee Plan Background Papers The following background papers as defined in the Local Government Act 1972 were relied upon in the writing of this report. Document title Planning Application File S38/0590/13 Planning Application File S38/1930/10 Where the document can be viewed Lincolnshire County Council, Planning, Witham Park House, Waterside South, Lincoln Lincolnshire County Council, Planning, Witham Park House, Waterside South, Lincoln This report was written by Felicity Webber, who can be contacted on or dev_pcg@lincolnshire.gov.uk Page 5 Page 225

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7 LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL PLANNING Appendix A Dallygate Lane Access Site of Application Footpath Main access to quarry onto B6403 (High Dike) Existing Quarry Prevailing Wind Direction from the south-west LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL Reproduced from the 1996 Os Mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office (C) Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to civil proceedings. OS LICENCE Location: Description: Great Ponton Quarry Application for Prior Approval to reposition two Dallygate Lane stone processing buildings, four ancillary storage Great Ponton containers and erect three stone processing sheds Application No: S38/0590/13 Scale: 1:10000 Planning and Regulation Committee 10 June 2013 Page 227

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