Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
Bilsthorpe Landfill
Bilsthorpe Landfill, 2009
A Planning Application for 'Variation of Conditions 4, 5, 6 & 22 of Planning Permission 3/11/00286/CMW to permit the importation of additional soils to complete restoration works and retention of site infrastructure adjacent to the entrance including gas compound, leachate tank, storage building, compressor housing and site office at Bilsthorpe Landfill Site Brailswood Road, Bilsthorpe, Nottinghamshire.
Supporting Statement
September 2014
1
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
SUPPORTING STATEMENT
1. Application Context
2. The Site
3. The Proposal
Section A – Soil / Restoration import application Section B – S73 application to amend approved plans Section C – Retention and removal of site infrastructure Section D – Planning Policy and Material Considerations
4. Environmental Considerations
5. Summary and Conclusion
DRAWINGS
Drawing 343A286 – Soil Import Planning Application Plan
Drawing 343A284 – Restoration Schedule Sept-Dec 2014
Drawing 343A287 – S73 Planning Application Plan
Drawing 343R270B – Interim Restoration Plan
Drawing 343R285 – Final Restoration Masterplan
APPENDICES
Appendix A – Infrastructure to be removed from the site
Appendix B – Infrastructure to remain at the site
2
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
FOREWARD
This supporting statement has been produced by FCC Environment (FCC), the operators of Bilsthorpe Landfill Site Brailswood Road, Bilsthorpe, Nottinghamshire.
FCC is a leading UK waste management and energy recovery company focused on delivering integrated waste management solutions to meet national, regional and local needs.
This planning application seeks consent:
• To import a defined volume of restoration materials (soils and clays) to complete restoration of the landfill site.
• For a Section 73 planning application to vary conditions 4, 5, 6 and 22 of planning permission 3/11/00286/CMW.
• To retain elements of the landfill site infrastructure.
3
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
SUPPORTING STATEMANT
1 Application Context
1.1 This planning application and supporting statement has been prepared by FCC Environment (FCC). FCC was formerly known as “Waste Recycling Group”.
1.2 This application seeks to allow soil imports (circa 8275m3) to facilitate complete restoration of the landfill site for 12 months duration.
1.3 In addition, the included S73 application seeks slight changes to the approved drawings; these drawings will facilitate the use of the imported material. The proposal improves the landform, which is low in certain areas due to differential settlement. Infilling low points on the landfill cap will improve surface water management.
1.4 Mitigation includes additional trees and hedgerows, supplemental to those previously consented.
1.5 The S73 application also requests the retention of defined site infrastructure to maintain effective site management during the final closure and site restoration phases.
4
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
2 The Site
2.1 Bilsthorpe Landfill is located immediately to the east of the village of Bilsthorpe within the administrative District of Newark and Sherwood in the County of Nottinghamshire.
2.2 Bilsthorpe Landfill lies at an elevation of approximately 90m AOD and is surrounded by a surface water drainage ditch. The surrounding landform falls from the south-east to the north-west, though restored colliery spoil heaps from the nearby mine provide local high elevations. Site levels vary between a high of 116m AOD, some 1km to the east, and a low of approximately 60m AOD some 1.5km to the north-west.
2.3 The site is bordered to the north by fields and restored colliery spoil heaps, to the east by woodland, to the south by Bungalow Lane beyond which are agricultural fields and to the south-west by a scrap yard. Near the site entrance, existing infrastructure comprises weighbridge and office accommodation, wheelwash, garages, fuel tanks and a landfill gas management compound.
2.4 The area covered by planning 3/11/00286/CMW, dated 9 th May 2011 extends to some 12 ha. This area is shown edged in blue on plan 343A284 accompanying this application.
2.5 Surface water from the site is currently collected and channelled to a surface water lagoon in the west of the site. This provides for settling and filtering of surface water prior to discharge from the site.
2.6 The woodland that lies adjacent to the northern boundary is designated as open access land under the control of the Forestry Commission. Beyond this woodland is open agricultural land interspersed with other areas of woodland, farmsteads and small settlements. To the west lies a small area of industrial development, beyond which lies the edge of the village of Bilsthorpe.
2.7 The nearest properties to the application site are situated to the south west, in the vicinity of Rectory, Manor and Gable Farms. These properties are a minimum distance of 250m from the application site boundary. Properties fronting the western side of Eakring Road (within Bilsthorpe) are over 50Om from the boundary of the application site.
2.8 Access to the site is gained off Brailwood Road in common with a number of other industrial sites. Brailwood Road is a minor road which terminates at the landfill site. At its western end, it joins Kirklington Road/Eakring Road via a roundabout. Both Kirklington Road and Eakring Road are classified as 'C' class highways.
2.9 A public footpath follows the western edge of woodland that bounds the application site, crosses Brailwood Road, skirts around the western edge of Eakring Brail Wood and crosses agricultural land before joining a track which joins Stonish Hill, to the west of Eakring.
5
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
3 The Proposals
SECTION A
Soils / Restoration material import
3.1 This element of the planning application covers an area of 0.9 hectare as depicted on drawing 343A286 entitled “Soil import planning application plan”.
3.2 Condition 5 of planning permission 3/11/00286/CMW, (dated 9 th May 2011) states: Only soils required for restoration purposes shall be imported and deposited at the site. Soil imports into the site shall cease on or before 30 th November 2013. Final restoration operations shall be carried out and completed within 12 months of the cessation of soil importation / deposition.
3.3 As a consequence of slower than anticipated progress with the restoration programme and differential settlement, further soil imports are requested for a period of 12 months. The importation of this material will allow effective restoration to be undertaken in accordance with the proposals detailed within Section B and Section C.
3.4 The areas within Bilsthorpe Landfill identified to receive further soils are shown on drawing 343A284.
3.5 Following a recent topographical survey which identified a low point towards the eastern end of the site supplemental soils are required to infill this area. Soil importation will enable an improved restoration scheme for the site and provide areas appropriate for additional tree planting.
3.6 Approval of this soil import application will also provide restoration materials to be retained in a circa 2000m3 stockpile (location detailed on drawings 343A284 and 343A286) for later use in the restoration of the gas compound area at the front of the site. This area is shown on drawing 343A286.
3.7 To allow the effective restoration of the site (detailed in Section B and C), a soil volume of circa 5775m3 has been identified which will infill the topographical low point and the area of further waste differential settlement; which has settled below levels previously considered. This area is shaded yellow on drawing 343A286. In addition, soils will be infilled along, and adjacent to the narrowed site road. Retention of the road is required for ongoing site monitoring and maintenance.
3.8 The import of soils adjacent to the site road is calculated at circa 500m3.
3.9 Total soil import is calculated at circa 5775m3 for the topographically low area of the site, circa 500m3 for the road infill and circa 2000m3 (to be held in a stockpile prior to subsequent placement as required) equating to a total of circa 8275m3.
6
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______3.10 To facilitate effective restoration, FCC will adhere to best practice when undertaking soil handling procedures. The 5775m3 and 500m3 of material that is required equates to circa 12,000tonnes of material to be delivered and placed.
3.11 The 2000m3 soil would be stockpiled in the position illustrated on drawings 343A284 and 343A286 to a maximum height of 3m. As this stockpile will be retained for greater than 6 months, and could be in-situ for 20 years pending removal of the gas compound (see Section C) the stockpile will be seeded with the following seed mix:
British Seed Houses, A3 mix or equivalent for the stockpiles. Sowing rate suggested as 20g/m2.
A3 (Embankments & Drought) Stabilises loose soils Can be used with reinforced matting Drought tolerant Suits a wide range of soil types A3 is ideal for stabilising embankments in a variety of landscaping situations. The binding growth habit and deep rooting penetration make this mixture very persistent and drought tolerant.
Mixture Breakdown CORAIL Strong Creeping Red Fescue60% RAISA Chewings Fescue20% BLACKWATCH Tall Fescue 15% HIGHLAND Bentgrass 5%
3.12 It is not possible to provide definitive timescales within the 12 month period for the importation as the availability of local soils is not readily quantifiable. However, due to the low total volume of material required during the 12 month period, traffic movements, including peak period movements, will be substantially lower than when the landfill operated as a waste disposal site.
3.13 As a consequence, the volume of vehicle movements will not be adversely detrimental to the local road network and is only for a limited timeframe. Vehicle deliveries will only use the routes previously specified in planning permission 3/11/00286/CMW, dated 9 th May 2011, condition 13.
3.14 Proposed soil import will facilitate the restoration as depicted in drawings 343R270B and 343R285. This application does not seek to change the approved landform.
7
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
SECTION B
The S73 application:
3.15 This element of the planning application covers the entire site area as depicted on drawing 343A287.
The Background: 3.16 Condition 4 of planning permission 3/05/01506/CMW states the following: “The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the methodology and mitigation measures set out in the detailed statement accompanying the application and received on 31/03/05, and the following plans, unless otherwise previously agreed in writing with the CPA: • Drawing BL 3/2 (as redefined) anticipated Post Settlement Contours received on 21/06/05 • Drawing B 3/3 A and B Site Cross Sections received on 13/10/05 • Drawing BL 3/4 Pre Settlement Waste Contours received on 31/03/05 ”
3.17 Condition 6 of planning permission 3/05/01506/CMW states the following: “The final post settlement contours of the restored site (including capping materials and soil cover) shall accord with Drawing BL023/01 Final Restoration Proposals approved on 26/02/2001 pursuant to Condition 3 of planning permission 3/00/0189 .”
3.18 The application revised the drawings and replaced them with the following: • CE-BT0293-DW01 = Revised Restoration Plan • CE-BT0293-DW02 = Anticipated Post-settlement Restoration Landform • CE-BT0293-DW03 = Theoretical Pre-settlement Landform
3.19 Application reference 3/11/00286/CMW was granted permission on the 9 th May 2011 for the “Variation of conditions 4 and 6 of planning permission 3/05/01506/CMW (dated 12 th December 2005) to regularise the approved contours at Bilsthorpe Landfill site with particular reference to the waste to energy compound area, the authorisation of minor variations to the pre and post settlement restoration contours on the main tip area (No Further Importation of Waste) and the retention of a leachate tank”
3.20 This S73 application seeks consent to amend drawings currently approved pursuant to conditions 4, 6 and 22 of planning permission 3/11/00286/CMW.
3.21 Condition 4 states: “The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the methodology and mitigation measures set out in the detailed statement accompanying planning permission 3/05/01506/CMW, as amended by the following plans” • Drawing No. CE-BL-0293-DW01A-Final: Revised restoration plan for Bilsthorpe Landfill received by the WPA on the 3 rd May 2011. • Drawing No. CE-BL-0293-DW02: Anticipated Post settlement landform for Bilsthorpe Landfill received by the WPA on the 7 th February 2011. • Drawing No. CE-BL-0293-DW03: Anticipated Pre settlement landform for Bilsthorpe Landfill received by the WPA on the 7 th February 2011.
3.22 Condition 6 states: “The final post settlement contours of the restored site (including capping materials and soil cover) shall accord with drawing No CE-BL-0293-DW02
8
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______anticipated post-settlement landform at Bilsthorpe Landfill received by the WPA on the 7 th February 2011”
3.23 Condition 22 states: “The site shall be restored in accordance with the details shown on drawing Numbers CE-BL-0293-DW02 anticipated post settlement landform and drawing Number CE-BL-0293-DW03 theoretical pre-settlement landform, Bilsthorpe Landfill received by the 7 th February 2011. Aftercare planting shall thereafter be undertaken in accordance with Drawing number CE-BL-0293-DW01A-Final, revised restoration plan for Bilsthorpe Landfill received by the WPA on the 3 rd May 2011”
3.24 This application seeks consent to replace drawings CE-BL-0293-DW02 and CE-BL- 0293-DW03 with drawing 343A287. This change acknowledges the current situation and makes provision for further differential settlement of waste and landfill cap. The area of the site that is topographically low is shaded yellow.
3.25 The proposal also make provision for reducing the width of the site road from 10m to 4m and as a consequence supersedes the previously approved layout shown on drawing CE-BL-0293-DW01A-Final.
3.26 Drawing 343A284 also identifies an area for a “proposed soil stockpile”. This material would be used to restore the area at the site entrance including the gas compound, once remain site infrastructure has been removed. The stockpile will be 3m high and comprise a volume of circa 2000m3. The area to be restored with this material is indicated by the pale yellow cross-hatching.
3.27 Additional cultivation, stone picking, hardcore export, re-grading, rolling and seeding is proposed. Soil placement will only occur when it is favourable to do so, as detailed by planning permission 3/11/00286/CMW.
3.28 It is proposed that drawing 343R270B “interim restoration” replaces drawing CE- BL-0293-DW01A-Final.
3.29 Drawing 343R270B slightly amends the approved restoration and offers additional tree planting and a reconfigured footpath route for the benefit of the local community (as was previously offered and indicated on drawing CE-BL-0293- DW01A-Final). It is proposed that this route will be available within 7 years which will allow sufficient time for the newly planted hedgerows to become established. The footpath will join the existing path to the north of the site.
3.30 The existing surface water scheme at the site is depicted on drawing 343R270B.
3.31 New drawing 343R285 “Final Restoration Masterplan” is included with this application. The drawing shows the site once the entire infrastructure has been removed and the gas compound area restored with the material retained in the proposed soil stockpile. This drawing also depicts the final surface water scheme around this restored area. Both drawings 343R285 and 343R270B detail the associated planting specifications.
9
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
SECTION C
Retention and removal of site infrastructure
3.32 In addition to the proposed changes shown on drawings detailed in Section B, this application seeks to retain and remove infrastructure as detailed below.
3.33 Pictures of the current infrastructure (at the site entrance) to be removed are provided in Appendix A.
3.34 Infrastructure to be removed includes the wheelwash, weighbridge (once imports have ceased) and the two tanks (labelled tank 1, tank 2) on drawings 343A286, 343A284, 343A287 and 343R270B. The tanks will be removed at the earliest opportunity.
3.35 Pictures of the current infrastructure (at the site entrance) to be retained are provided in Appendix B. This includes the gas compound, leachate tank, storage building, compressor housing and site office.
3.36 It is difficult to estimate when infrastructure from the gas compound could be removed as timings will depend on gas production within the site. Current gas curves (from site data) suggest that this could be in excess of 20 years based on current technology. This compound area will be restored with the material held in the stockpile proposed in section A and B above. Retention of this stockpile for restoration will avoid the requirement for supplemental soil importation at some later date.
3.37 The soil embankment will be seeded and managed in accordance with good environmental practice.
3.38 Leachate collection at the site is predicted to continue for the foreseeable future, the leachate tank will be retained while the site’s environmental permit is in place and leachate control is required by the Environment Agency.
3.39 The application seeks consent to retain the storage building and site office for an additional 5 years.
10
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
SECTION D
Planning Policy and Material Considerations
3.40 The landfill capping and restoration systems are integral parts of the overall environmental management of the landfill site. The Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002, which transpose into national law the EU Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC), regulate the design operation and engineering requirements of all waste landfill operations. They require that potential key environmental emissions such as landfill gas and leachate are controlled, collected and utilized (in the case of landfill gas) and treated/disposed of appropriately (in the case of leachate) to prevent risk to the environment. The landfill cap over the completed waste infill functions so as to effectively shed surface water to prevent leachate generation and to facilitate the collection of landfill gas. Legislative requirements have been incorporated into waste and planning policy, notably the key planning principles of PPS10 (PPS10: Planning for Sustainable Waste Management), which, under the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework, remains in force until replaced by the National Waste Management Plan.
3.41 The import of soil proposed within this application is essential to achieving the final contours of the landfill site in accordance with the approved restoration scheme. The retention of site infrastructure is necessary for FCC to fulfil its environmental monitoring and management obligations under the site environmental permit. The landfill restoration scheme and its accompanying management and aftercare procedures have been agreed by both the waste planning authority Environment Agency under the planning and permitting regimes. These measures have been designed to ensure that the site is restored (and maintained) to a condition suitable for its proposed afteruses and that long- term monitoring and management procedures are in place to control the potential environmental impacts of the former landfill and mitigate any current or future risk to environmental receptors (including air, water, soils plants and animals) or to end-users of the site.
3.42 It is therefore demonstrated that the proposed development is in accordance with relevant policy and legislation for planning and waste management at the European and national level which are material considerations in the planning process. At the local level consideration has been given to policies contained within the adopted Development Plan which comprises: the Nottinghamshire and Nottingham Waste Core Strategy. The relevant policies notably ‘WCS13 Protecting and enhancing our environment’, reflect the same principles for sustainable waste management as set out in PPS10, and the proposals are deemed to be in compliance.
11
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
4 Environmental Considerations
4.1 This application seeks consent for soil import to allow effective, long term and sustainable restoration of the landfill site.
4.2 The proposal will improve the final landform and will lead to more effective surface water management as low points are infilled on the landfill cap surface.
4.3 Additional tree and hedgerow planting (supplemental to those previously consented) will provide further benefits to the local fauna.
4.4 The short duration of activity is considered acceptable and the revised proposals will enhance the final restoration of the site, whilst minimising any environmental effects arising from this proposal.
5 Summary and Conclusions
5.1 This planning application is submitted to allow further soil import to Bilsthorpe Landfill, which will facilitate final restoration of the site.
5.2 The S73 application makes slight changes to the previously approved drawings and seeks the retention of certain site infrastructure for the ongoing benefit and effective management of the site as it enters final closure and restoration.
5.3 There are no detrimental effects associated with the application.
12
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
DRAWINGS
13
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
APPENDIX A
14
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
Wheelwash
Weighbridge
15
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
APPENDIX B
16
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
Leachate Tank
Compressor House
17
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
Storage Building
Site Office
18
Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application ______
Gas Compound
19