Planning Committee
CONSULTATION BY NORFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL IN RESPECT OF
A PROPOSAL BY TARMAC LIMITED FOR THE EXTRACTION AND
PROCESSING OF SAND AND GRAVEL, INCLUDING CONCRETE
BATCHING PLANT, WITH RESTORATION AT A LOWER LEVEL TO A
CONDITION SUITABLE FOR AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY AND
NATURE CONSERVATION AFTERUSE AT LAND TO THE WEST OF
B1150 NORWICH ROAD, HORSTEAD.
1
SUMMARY
1.1
This report describes a proposal for mineral extraction and associated works
within the parish of Horstead. A map and aerial photograph showing the
location of the site is attached as Appendix A.
1.2
Norfolk County Council, which is the determining planning authority for this
application is seeking comments from this Council. The County Council has
agreed to an extension of the consultation period in order for this Council to
comment at Member level. The County Council is likely to consider the
application at a meeting on 8 July 2005.
1.3
The application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement and
Environmental Statement (Non-Technical Summary).
1.4
Members will be aware that previous applications have been submitted by
Tarmac:

In 2002, the District Council was consulted on a proposal to extract
approximately 7.5 million tonnes from a site area of 106 hectares. The
District Council objected to this proposal. The County Council refused
planning permission on the grounds that there was no need for the
mineral reserve at this site.

In 2003, the District Council was consulted on a revised proposal to
extract approximately 3.06 million tonnes from a reduced site area of
54.3 hectares. The District Council objected to this proposal on the
grounds contained in Appendix B. The County Council refused
planning permission on the grounds that in the context of a landbank of
7.47 years there is no need for the mineral and the proposals are in
conflict with Minerals Local Plan Policy MIN 15. This is now subject to
an appeal.
20050488 Land adj Norwich Road, Horstead
15 June 2005
Planning Committee
2
PROPOSAL
2.1
The application has been submitted on behalf of Tarmac for the extraction
and processing of approximately 3.06 million tonnes of sand and gravel from
approximately 54.3 hectares of land. The expected duration of operations is
15 for extraction and 17 in total. In addition to the extraction and processing
of sand and gravel, the application also seeks permission for a ready mixed
concrete plant. Access to the site would be via the B1150, at an altered
junction with the Stanninghall Road. The proposal is very similar to that
currently subject to appeal.
2.2
The site itself extends to approximately 54.3 hectares and is primarily arable
agriculture. A pig-breeding unit is located on the site and is periodically
moved from field to field. The land is also managed for game birds.
2.3
The proposed development is for the progressive extraction and processing
of sand and gravel, including the manufacture of ready mixed concrete. It is
proposed that following the phased extraction of minerals, the site will be
reclaimed at a lower level, approximately 7 metres. The land will be generally
flat with sloping sides up to the surrounding ground levels outside of the site.
Some of these sloping sides will be gentle and farmed, with others being
planted as woodland.
2.4
The area of the proposed mineral extraction is smaller than the boundary of
the application site, thereby allowing areas for buffer zones from neighbouring
residential properties, boundary trees and woodland areas. The aerial
photograph at Appendix A shows the area of the proposed mineral extraction
in relation to the overall site boundary. Details of the proposed phasing and
development of the site including concept restoration are attached as
Appendix C.
2.5
The proposed hours of working for the site are stated to be 07:00 - 18:00
Monday - Friday, and 07:00 - 13:00 Saturday mornings, except public
holidays.
3
LOCAL PLAN ISSUES
Minerals Local Plan:
3.1
A large part of the proposed site is identified in the adopted Norfolk Minerals
Local Plan as Investigation Area 74. Investigation Areas indicate those areas
where further testing of Minerals should be concentrated. As a result of
representations on the review local plan, the whole of the proposed site is
now included within the plan.
20050488 Land adj Norwich Road, Horstead
15 June 2005
Planning Committee
3.2
The need for new sand and gravel workings can be assessed against County
Council policy, which states that no new sand and gravel quarries will be
permitted if the stock of sand and gravel with planning permissions exceeds
seven years supply.
3.3
The current land bank of permitted reserves in Norfolk (planning permission
granted) is less than seven years (6.63 years as at May 2005).
4
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
4.1
In terms of assessing the environmental effects of the proposed development,
an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been undertaken,
accompanied with an Environmental Statement (ES). Details of the main
environmental effects arising as a result of the proposed development are
outlined below.
Transport
4.2
It is estimated that the proposed development would result in 38 lorries
leaving the site daily – 32 x 21 tonnes of sand and gravel and 6 x 12 tonnes
of concrete (76 lorry movements per day). The routes they will normally follow
will be the B1150 with 90% traveling south.
Dust
4.3
Potentially there are a number of operations that would be carried out as part
of the development, which might create dust. It is stated that these, however,
could be controlled within the boundary of the site by the implementation of
simple precautions, for example avoiding soil stripping in windy weather, the
use of tracked vehicles, the use of defined routes for earth moving vehicles
and the sprinkling of water. The extraction and processing of sand and gravel
is not, however, stated to be a significant source of dust. The proposed ready
mixed concrete plant is also not considered to be a source of dust, which will
need a separate consent under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Noise
4.4
Measurements taken in the vicinity of noise sensitive properties, together with
computer modeling indicate that noise mitigation measures will be required on
the site. This would include cladding of fixed and mobile plant, silencing
measures for plant and the use of bunds around the plant site, along parts of
the site boundary, or in the vicinity of residential properties. The proposed
bunds would vary in height between 4 and 6 metres. It is stated that
landscaping will also be used to disguise the appearance of the bunds, some
of which will only last for individual phases only, whereas some will exist
20050488 Land adj Norwich Road, Horstead
15 June 2005
Planning Committee
throughout the life of the site (i.e. 15 years).
Ecology
4.5
Surveys have revealed that various types of beetles are present within the
internal hedgerows. Further surveys will be required in order to establish if
these also exist in the boundary features. If found in the boundary
hedgerows, translocation will be required. Compensatory landscaping will be
planted to replace the existing hedgerows and trees lost as part of the
proposal, planted and managed for either nature conservation or forestry. It
is however stated that overall there will be a net gain of approximately 46,000
trees. No evidence of bats has been discovered at the site.
Agriculture
4.6
Topsoil will be stripped from the plant site and phase 1. This will be stored in
bunds for the duration of the plant (15 years), and used to restore the plant
site area. Throughout the life of the development, several areas of the site
will be unavailable for agricultural use.
Hydrology
4.7
The water table is located beneath the sand and gravel that is to be
extracted, so there will be no effect on surrounding groundwater levels or
flows.
Archaeology
4.8
Surveys already undertaken have revealed no major sites of archaeological
significance within the proposed extraction area. There is a Scheduled
Ancient Monument to the north of the site, and a Grade II* listed building to
the west, although both of these are located outside the proposed extraction
area and application site. Part of the site hedgerow boundary along
Frettenham Road is classed as important under the Hedgerow Regulations.
Landscape
4.9
The proposed development has been assessed in terms of its potential
impact upon residential areas, roads and footpaths. The existing hedgerows,
woodland areas and undulations in the land surface already offer some
screening of the site.
4.10
Besides additional planting, earth bunds will be required on the site, not only
to offer visual screening, but also to absorb and deflect noise, and as a place
to store soils and overburden, prior to their use in the final restoration of the
20050488 Land adj Norwich Road, Horstead
15 June 2005
Planning Committee
site.
4.11
Semi-permanent bunds in the site it is stated will help shield views into the
site. These will be shaped, seeded and planted to landscape their
appearance.
4.12
There is one residential property adjacent to the site, which will require
temporary earth bunding while extraction and restoration is in the phases
adjacent. This is a single storey property, which has wide views of the
existing fields.
4.13
The final restoration of the site will be designed to replicate the character of
the area, including medium sized fields being separated by hedgerows
containing larger individual trees.
5
LOCAL BENEFITS
5.1
It is stated that the proposed development would contribute significantly to the
economy in general, with a large proportion of this benefit being for the local
area directly. It is estimated that approximately twenty people will be directly
employed at the site including lorry drivers, with the intention for these
positions to be filled locally. It is anticipated that the expenditure from the site
would total £1.5 million each year, with a substantial amount of this being
spent locally.
5.2
Restoration will enhance the nature conservation and game potential through
the planting of 46,000 trees to create 18.5 hectares of woodland with
associated glades. The planting of approximately 3 kilometres of hedgerow
including Oak trees will reinforce the characteristic field pattern of the general
area.
5.3
The hedgerows which surround the site will be managed and enhanced.
Other belts of trees and shrubs will be planted along various boundaries of
the site as screen planting, and will be retained after extraction has finished.
6
CONSULTATIONS
Head of Policy:
6.1
While development of this sort does not appear to be in any major conflict
with the policies in the adopted and replacement Broadland District Local
Plan, consideration needs to be given to the general strategy, environmental
and highway policies as well as relevant policies in the Norfolk Structure Plan
and Minerals Local Plan
20050488 Land adj Norwich Road, Horstead
15 June 2005
Planning Committee
Head of Environmental Services:
6.2
The Environmental Statement refers to dust and noise control and suggests
some conditions relating to these. I would advise these conditions are used,
namely:In relation to dust, the condition specified in Document 3 of 3, section 3, page
22, subsection 7.2
In relation to noise, the condition specified in Document 3 of 3, section 4,
page 20
6.3
Norfolk County Council have carried out all statutory consultations, publicity or
advertising which may have been necessary for the application, as well as
notifying the Parish Council and neighbours where appropriate.
7
RELEVANT POLICY GUIDANCE
Norfolk Structure Plan (Adopted October 1999).
7.1
The following policies are considered relevant to this application:

Policy CS.7 - In the countryside, priority will be given to conserving
landscape character and wildlife, and protecting agricultural, recreational
and natural resources.

Policy ENV.1 - High priority will be given to protecting the
environmental assets of the county and conserving and enhancing
biodiversity.

Policy ENV.4 - The distinctive character of the Norfolk countryside and
coast will be protected for its own sake and proposals for development in
these areas but outside the areas of special protection will only be
acceptable where they do not significantly harm the character of these
areas.

Policy RC.6 - Proposals for development will only be permitted where
they are in accordance with the detailed policies contained in the Norfolk
Minerals Local Plan.
Norfolk Minerals Local Plan (Adopted December 1996 with modifications
adopted 2004).
7.2
The following policies are considered relevant to this application:
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15 June 2005
Planning Committee

Policy MIN2 - Proposals for mineral extraction and associated
development in river valleys, the brecks, areas of landscape protection,
conservation areas, historic parkland, areas of importance to the setting of
listed buildings and woodland areas will be permitted only where it can be
ensured that they would not be significantly detrimental to the appearance
or character of these areas.

Policy MIN3 - Applications for mineral extraction and associated
development will be allowed except where the harm to the visual
appearance of the countryside, either during operations or in terms of the
final landform, would be unacceptable.

Policy MIN6 - Applications for mineral extraction and associated
developments will only be permitted where there would be no
unacceptable harm to the amenities enjoyed by nearby residents and
other land users.

Policy MIN9 - Applications for mineral extraction and associated
developments will only be permitted where the access and the highway
network are suitable, and are able to accommodate increased lorry
movements, or where improvements would not cause unacceptable harm
to the environment.

Policy MIN14 - The County Council will maintain a landbank of
permitted reserves of sand and gravel separate from that for carstone,
both of which will be in accordance with Minerals Planning Guidance note
6.

Policy MIN15 - Proposals for extraction of sand and gravel and
carstone on new sites will not normally be permitted when the landbank
exceeds the seven year level.
Adopted Broadland District Local Plan.
7.3
The following policies are considered relevant:

Policy GS1 - New development will normally be accommodated within
the development boundaries. Outside these boundaries, development
proposals will not be permitted unless they comply with a specific
allocation and/or policy of the Plan.

Policy GS3 - Sets out general considerations to be taken into account in
all new development proposals, including access, residential amenity, the
character and appearance of the surrounding area, nature conservation,
agricultural land, building conservation and utilities and services.
20050488 Land adj Norwich Road, Horstead
15 June 2005
Planning Committee

Policy ENV1 - Seeks to protect and enhance the character and
appearance of the countryside for its own sake and the landscape setting
of villages and other urban areas.

Clamp Wood to the south of The Hollies, along Frettenham Road is
designated as an area of Ancient Woodland. Policy ENV6 is therefore
considered applicable. This states that development which would
significantly adversely affect areas of local nature conservation
importance, county wildlife/category ‘C’ sites and ancient woodlands will
not be permitted.

Policy ENV22 - Development within mineral consultation areas will be
determined after consultation with the County Council.

Policy TRA3 - On routes identified as main distributor routes, access
outside the defined development areas will only be permitted where it can
be demonstrated that the route’s ability to carry traffic would not be
impaired.

Policy TRA4 - Development will not be permitted where it would
endanger highway safety or the satisfactory functioning of the local
highway network. In appropriate cases, a traffic impact study will be
required.

Policy CS17 - Noise levels will be taken into account in the
determination of planning applications.
Replacement Broadland District Local Plan.
7.4
The following policies are considered relevant:

(RD)Policy GS1 - New development will normally be accommodated
within the development boundaries. Outside these boundaries,
development proposals will not be permitted unless they comply with a
specific allocation and/or policy of the Plan.

(RD)Policy GS4 - Sets out general considerations to be taken into
account in all new development proposals, including access, residential
amenity, the character and appearance of the surrounding area, nature
conservation, agricultural land, building conservation and utilities and
services.

(RD)Policy ENV1 - Seeks to protect and enhance the character and
appearance of the countryside for its own sake and the landscape setting
of villages and other urban areas.
20050488 Land adj Norwich Road, Horstead
15 June 2005
Planning Committee

Policy TRA10 - On routes identified as main distributor routes, access
outside the defined development areas will only be permitted where it can
be demonstrated that the route’s ability to carry traffic would not be
impaired.

(RD)Policy TRA11 - Development will not be permitted where it would
endanger highway safety or the satisfactory functioning of the local
highway network. In appropriate cases, a traffic impact study will be
required.

Policy CS15 - Noise levels will be taken into account in the
determination of planning applications.
8
ASSESSMENT
8.1
The main issues to be taken into account in consideration of this consultation
are firstly whether the proposal complies with the relevant policies of the
Development Plan, the Development Plan in this case being the Structure
and Minerals Local Plans produced by the County Council and the Broadland
District Local Plan, and secondly, the previous refused applications and
Norfolk County Council's consideration of Broadland Council's previous
objections to these.
8.2
In considering the first issue, the site is located to the west of the B1150
Norwich Road, which is the main road leading to the Parishes of Horstead
and Crostwick, which are located to the north. The land subject to this
application is generally level in form, with existing hedging on the majority of
its boundaries, albeit at a relatively low height.
8.3
The site is located within an area of open countryside and is covered by
Policy ENV1 of the adopted and replacement Broadland District Local Plan.
Policy ENV1 of the Local Plan seeks to protect and enhance the character
and appearance of the countryside, in accordance with Government
guidance. The importance of protecting these areas are also recognised in
the Norfolk Structure Plan, namely Policies CS7, ENV1 and ENV4.
8.4
It is considered that given the relatively flat nature of the landform, the
position of the site adjacent to a number of roads (ie B1150 Norwich Road,
C248 Frettenham Road, and U57184 Stanninghall Road, and the importance
of the site in the wider landscape, that the proposed environmental bunding
around the perimeter of parts of the site, some of which will be 6 metres in
height, which is not characteristic to the generally flat landscape in the area,
will represent an alien and intrusive features in the Broadland landscape,
having a detrimental impact on the overall landscape quality, therefore
conflicting with those policies of the Norfolk Structure Plan and Broadland
District Local Plan which seek to restrict inappropriate development in these
20050488 Land adj Norwich Road, Horstead
15 June 2005
Planning Committee
areas.
8.5
In addition, given the proximity of the proposed extraction site to a
neighbouring residential property (The Hollies) and the proposed substantial 5
metre high earth bund required around this property to mitigate any potential
noise, it is considered that the proposed extraction will have a detrimental
impact on the amenities of this property, thereby conflicting with Policy MIN6
of the Norfolk Structure Plan and Policies GS3 and GS4 of the adopted and
replacement Broadland District Local Plan.
8.6
In addition, strong concern is expressed towards the total number of vehicle
movements to and from the site and the fact that the main B1150 Norwich
Road is shown as a main distributor route in the Broadland District Local
Plan. It is estimated that the total number of vehicle movements to and from
the site could be in the region of 76 per day, with the proposed route of the
majority of this travelling along the B1150 in a southerly direction. Strong
concern is expressed towards the impact this will have on the surrounding
parishes within the Broadland administrative area (ie Frettenham, Crostwick,
Spixworth, Old Catton and Sprowston).
8.7
In dealing with the second issue, this Council objected to the previous
applications submitted in 2002 and 2003 on similar grounds to those referred
to above. However, although these applications were subsequently refused
planning permission by Norfolk County Council as Mineral Planning Authority,
these were only refused on the grounds that there was a lack of need for the
site and its reserves, and not on the impact on the landscape, the amenities
of neighbouring properties or highway safety.
8.8
In considering this further, Norfolk County Council acknowledged that there
would be a change in the character of the landscape. However, the
landscape impacts were not considered in their opinion to be so significant to
be unacceptable in the context of Minerals Policy MIN 3.
8.9
With regard to impact on the amenity of residents in and around the site,
although the potential local impacts were recognised, subject to the proposed
mitigation measures and adequate conditions, it was not considered that the
impacts would be such as to justify a refusal of planning permission in the
context of Minerals Policy MIN 6.
8.10
As far as the consideration of this Council’s concerns over highway issues, it
was considered that taking into account the volume and nature of traffic
expected to be generated by the development, the width and alignment of the
B1150, the proposed changes to the access and access junction and the
nature of the accident history of the local road network, that it was considered
that the development would not have resulted in a significant degradation of
highway safety.
20050488 Land adj Norwich Road, Horstead
15 June 2005
Planning Committee
8.11
In considering this Council’s response to the current application, although the
overall scale of the proposal has been reduced from the first application and
is the same as the latter application now subject to appeal, it is maintained
that the proposal will have a harmful impact on the Broadland area for the
reasons originally proposed, which included a further comment that this
Council would object to any application for the site being used for landfill
purposes in the future. It is therefore recommended that this Council
maintain its objection to the principle of this proposal.
9
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
9.1
There are no resource implications arising from this proposal.
10
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
10.1
There are no legal implications arising from this proposal.
11
RECOMMENDATION
11.1
The Committee is RECOMMENDED to raise an objection to the principle of
the proposal and advise Norfolk County Council of the comments referred to
in this report and in particular section 8 above.
Mr P Geraghty
Head of Planning & Conservation
Background Papers
Planning application 20020647 – Consultation papers and application from Norfolk
County Council.
Planning application 20031258 – Consultation papers and application from Norfolk
County Council.
For further information on this report please contact Nigel Harriss on (01603)
430529.
20050488 Land adj Norwich Road, Horstead
15 June 2005