Hertfordshire Minerals Planning DRAFT Local Aggregate

Hertfordshire Minerals Planning

DRAFT Local Aggregate Assessment

2015

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 0

Contents Contents 1 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 2 Introduction 3 3 GEOLOGY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 3 Sand and Gravel 4 Chalk 5 Clay 6 Hard Rock 6 Marine Aggregates 6 4 SAND AND GRAVEL SALES 7 Extraction Sites 9 Apportionments 11 Local approach to determining apportionment figures 13 Landbank of permitted mineral reserves 14 Timeline for mineral planning 15 5 IMPORTS AND EXPORTS 15 Imports – Sand and Gravel 16 Imports – Marine sources 16 Imports – Crushed Rock 17 Exports – Sand and Gravel 17 Sales and Construction 19 Rail Aggregate Depots 19 Brick Clay 21 Chalk 21 6 SECONDARY AND RECYCLED AGGREGATE 22 Inert Waste Management in Hertfordshire 23 Secondary and Recycled Aggregate Sources 24 Expected Contribution to Supply 25 7 FUTURE AGGREGATES SUPPLY AND DEMAND 26 Supply 26 Potential Future Supply from Preferred Areas 28 Demand 29 Population Projections 29 Housing completions and forecast 29 Key Planned Infrastructure Requirements 31 8 CONCLUSION 32

LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Sand and gravel sales compared with permitted reserves in Hertfordshire since 2007 Table 2: Permitted sand and gravel extraction in Hertfordshire with reserves Table 3: Landbanks for sand and gravel in Hertfordshire in 2011 Table 4: Hertfordshire’s primary aggregates imports and exports (2009) Table 5: Sales and consumption in 2009 Table 6: Permitted chalk extraction sites in Hertfordshire Table 7: Provision of sand and gravel in Hertfordshire to 2027 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Geological map of the main mineral resources of Hertfordshire Figure 2: Sales of sand and gravel in Hertfordshire 2003-2012 Figure 3: Geology of Hertfordshire with permitted sand and gravel sites Figure 4: Comparison of Hertfordshire’s total sand and gravel sales 2003-2012 and apportionment levels Figure 5: Hertfordshire’s rail aggregate depots Figure 6: Location of permitted sites in Hertfordshire for the production of recycled/secondary aggregates

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 1 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 The county council has a duty under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to produce a Local Aggregate Assessment (LAA). The LAA will be considered by the members of the East of England Aggregates Working Party.

1.2 The LAA is an evidence base document for the review of the Minerals Local Plan. Its primary purpose is to set out aggregate supply and demand to calculate landbanks and acts as a monitoring report for aggregates. For Hertfordshire the aggregates reported are land won sand and gravel and secondary and recycled aggregates. The county does not have any reserves of hard rock. The LAA is updated annually to provide an up-to-date picture of the sand and gravel reserves and sales in the county over the last ten years and compares this with the predicted future land-won aggregate need whilst taking into account the imports and exports of sand and gravel and secondary and recycled aggregates.

1.3 The headline figures for 2014 show that extraction is steadily continuing at the active sand and gravel sites. One new site has been granted permission at Thorley Hall Farm with restoration to an agricultural reservoir, although is currently inactive. This however, has not added significantly to the reserves. As a result the reserves are showing a steady decline. There remain two other inactive sites in the county. The permitted reserves can supply aggregate for a period of 11.3 years based on Hertfordshire’s current apportionment of 1.39 million tonnes.

1.4 Sales of sand and gravel are increasing, as they did last year. At 1.21 million tonnes, they are above the ten year and three year averages. As a comparison, the ten year average sales figure is 1.13 million tonnes and the three year average is 1.15 million tonnes. In terms of the destination of these sales, 57% was sold within Herts with 22% to the rest of the East of England area and 21% to other destinations in the UK.

1.5 The county council intends to continue to use the sub-regional apportionment figure for the planning of sand and gravel in Hertfordshire, which is in line with the East of England Aggregates Working Party’s collectively agreed approach to plan making.

1.6 Of the sites listed in the adopted Minerals Local Plan with potential to extract sand and gravel, two of the three Preferred Areas have come forward already, leaving one remaining site due to come forward.

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 2 2 INTRODUCTION

2.1 The Government recognises the importance of minerals to support sustainable economic growth and our quality of life. They are a finite resource and can only be worked where they are found. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (March 2012) paragraph 145 requires Minerals Planning Authorities to monitor aggregate production and plan for a steady and adequate supply of aggregates.

2.2 This document has been prepared to fulfil the requirement introduced within the NPPF to produce an annual Local Aggregate Assessment (LAA). It has been prepared in line with guidance within the National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPG) and POS/MPA Practice Guidance on the production and use of LAAs living document (April 2015).

2.3 The purpose of the LAA is to assess the current local mineral provision against the requirements detailed in the NPPF and NPPG, including the Government’s Guidance on Managed Aggregate Supply System which has now been incorporated into the NPPG. The document details performance in line with the East of England Aggregates Working Party. It also reviews guidance from the government’s Department for Communities and Local Government relating to the NPPF. The county council will update this document on an annual basis and will use its contents to inform the review of Hertfordshire’s Minerals Local Plan.

2.4 This LAA details the current supply and demand in Hertfordshire, from which information relating to existing sites, reserves and aggregate apportionment levels to 2031 (plan period for the new Minerals Local Plan), based on the agreed East of England apportionment figure and rolling average of ten years sales data and other relevant local information, is included within this document. Other potential sources of aggregates are included, namely secondary and recycled aggregates, imports and exports.

3 GEOLOGY OF HERTFORDSHIRE

3.1 The main mineral resources in Hertfordshire are sand and gravel with smaller deposits of chalk and brick clay (as shown in Figure 1).

3.2 The geology of Hertfordshire is largely Chalk of the Cretaceous period, overlain in the south and east by London Clay. In the far north and northwest of the county are small areas of Gault Clay. Throughout much of the county, the superficial deposits which overlay the solid geology complicate the picture. These include the Clay-with-flints of much of west Hertfordshire; including the

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 3 Chilterns dip slope; the boulder clay of central and east Hertfordshire; and the gravels of the Vale of St Albans and the river valleys.1

3.3 Sand, gravel, crushed rock, chalk and clay all provide the construction industry with the raw materials required for constructing and maintaining roads, buildings and other infrastructure. Minerals are also essential elements in the production of a variety of other products. An adequate and steady supply of minerals is essential if current standards of living are to be maintained in society as well as meeting basic needs for quality of life, such as shelter.

Figure 1: Geological map of the main mineral resources of Hertfordshire 2

3.4 Sand and gravel resources occur in Hertfordshire within superficial or ‘drift’ deposits, subdivided into fluvioglacial sand and gravel, glacial sand and gravel, river terrace deposits and sub-alluvial deposits.3

1 Biodiversity Action Plan for Hertfordshire 2006, www.hef.org.uk 2 BGS & ODPM, 2003, Technical report CR/03/075/N Mineral Resource Information in support of National, Regional and Local Planning: Hertfordshire and Northwest London Boroughs 3 BGS & ODPM, 2003, Technical report CR/03/075/N Mineral Resource Information in support of National, Regional and Local Planning: Hertfordshire and Northwest London Boroughs

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 4 3.5 Sand and gravel deposits are found in most parts of the county although they are concentrated in an area south of a line between Bishops Stortford in the east and Hemel Hempstead in the west (often referred to as the sand and gravel belt). This area covers the whole of the District Council areas of Three Rivers, Watford, Hertsmere, Welwyn Hatfield and Broxbourne. Large parts of the City and District of St Albans and East Hertfordshire are covered, together with a small part of Dacorum. North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Districts fall outside the sand and gravel belt.

3.6 Of the sub-alluvial gravel deposits, these occur within the valleys of the rivers Mimram, Ver and Colne of St Albans and Hemel Hempstead areas. Resources have in many cases been extensively worked and exhausted in the Ver and Colne valleys.

3.7 Sand and gravel from Hertfordshire is mostly used by the construction industry. Most is washed and screened to remove clay particles and to separate the various sized stones and larger stones are usually crushed and screened again. Most sand extracted in Hertfordshire is sharp sand and is suitable for making concrete (when mixed with various selections of gravel sizes, cement and water).

3.8 Crushed rock (imported to Hertfordshire) may be used in place of local gravel, but sand may only be substituted by fines from crushed rock which is more costly to use because of its lesser binding properties. Building sand, for use in mortars, may also be washed and screened before use. Known as soft sand it is less commonly found in the county and is mostly imported.

3.9 Currently sand and gravel extraction takes place at four quarries in Hertfordshire;

o Panshanger Quarry, Hertford o Tyttenhanger Quarry, Colney Heath; o Westmill Quarry, Ware; o Hatfield Quarry with the linked Symondshyde extraction site.

3.10 In addition, Rickneys Quarry just north of Hertford has temporary permission for extraction, however it is yet to be implemented.

3.11 Two other sites have extant planning permission for sand and gravel extraction, although no extraction is now taking place, these are Water Hall and Dobbs Weir Quarries (see Table 2 for further details).

Chalk

3.12 Chalk occurs as bedrock throughout much of the county. It is a major aquifer and is the most important source of groundwater in the county. The White Chalk runs through Watford and Hertford although much is covered by superficial deposits

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 5 and chalk crops out along the sides of the valleys of the rivers Ash and Lea near Hertford and the Colne valley. The Grey Chalk is found in the north and far west of the county.

3.13 The Chilterns area within Hertfordshire is an area that consists of rolling chalk hills capped with Clay-with-Flints superficial deposits. This area runs from Tring to Hitchin, through Welwyn, St Albans and Watford. Steep chalk scarp slopes are found in Tring with gentler slopes covering a larger area. Gentler chalk hills than the Chilterns are found in the East Anglian Chalk area which runs from the Chilterns through Hertfordshire and South Cambridgeshire.

3.14 There were many chalk extraction sites in the past, essentially for local use. However today, the scale of working is relatively small and chalk is mainly quarried at a small number of sites to the north and west of the sand and gravel belt. Chalk in Hertfordshire is extracted for use as an agricultural lime on farms both within and outside the county.

3.15 There are currently three chalk extraction sites in Hertfordshire: o Codicote; o Bedwell Park just outside of Hertford; and o Anstey.

Clay

3.16 Hertfordshire sits within the Northern Thames Basin Character Area with geology of mostly London Clay overlain with superficial deposits of sand and gravel. The west Anglian Plain with geology of Gault Clay adjoins the northern part of the county and the Eastern Anglian Plain covers a large part of the East of the county with underlying chalk with a covering of Boulder Clay.

3.17 The scale of working for brick clay is relatively small. The only brick clay is located in the Hemel Hempstead area. Brick clay is extracted for use at specialist brickworks in the county, of which there is one remaining in the county, in Bovingdon. The bricks are made from mottled clays of Reading Formation and Clay-with-Flints.

Hard Rock

3.18 There is no hard rock found in the county. Hertfordshire imports crushed rock into the county via the rail aggregate depots. Reserves from outside of Hertfordshire will be relied upon for this source of mineral.

Marine Aggregates

3.19 Hertfordshire is a land locked county and as such contains no areas suitable for the dredging of marine aggregates. A relatively small amount of marine sand and gravel is consumed in the county which is imported via Kent and London.

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 6 4 SAND AND GRAVEL SALES

4.1 Sales of sand and gravel (including soft sands) for the ten year period between 2005 and 2014 inclusive are shown in Figure 2. The figures are based on actual sales data retrieved from the county’s Aggregate Monitoring Surveys and the BGS Aggregate Minerals Survey 2014 for England and Wales collated data for Hertfordshire’s aggregate sales and destinations.

4.2 However, there have historically been difficulties in obtaining mineral data and this problem is recognised nationally. Only some minerals data is made available to the minerals planning authority or can be inaccurate, inconsistent and incomplete. The county council is part of the East of England Aggregates Working Party (EEAWP), which is a technical working group comprising mineral planning authorities and other interested parties that are working together to obtain better survey data which is used by individual authorities and collated in the East of England Authorities’ Monitoring Report. It is hoped that in the years to come the data available for both minerals and waste will be more available and consistent.

Figure 2: Sales of sand and gravel in Hertfordshire 2005 – 2014

Total Sand and Gravel Sales

1.4 1.27 1.23 1.21 1.17 1.21 1.2 1.12 1.13 0.97 1.01 0.99 1.0 0.8 0.6

0.4 Milliontonnes 0.2 0.0

Year

Source: HCC Authority Monitoring Report 2015 and EEAWP Aggregate Monitoring Survey return for 2014

4.3 Sand and gravel production in 2014 was very similar to that in previous years. Sales have reached 1.20 million tonnes and above, four times over the last 10 year period.

4.4 The average sales of sand and gravel in Hertfordshire over the last 10 years is 1.13 million tonnes (2005-2014). As a comparison, this figure was

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 7 1.12 million tonnes as of 2013, 1.13 million tonnes as of 2012, and 1.17 million tonnes as of 2011, thereby remaining relatively constant over the last few years.

4.5 The rolling 3 year average is 1.15 million tonnes per annum (2012-2014). This was 1.13 million tonnes per annum in 2013, 1.19 million tonnes per annum in 2012 and 1.22 million tonnes per annum recorded for the end of 2011.

4.6 Based on 2013 levels Hertfordshire contributed 12% of the sand and gravel sales in the East of England region 4.

4.7 Of the sales of primary aggregates in Hertfordshire in 2014, 57% was within Hertfordshire (692,000 tonnes), 22% was to the rest of the East of England

(265,000 tonnes) and 21% was to other destinations (252,000 tonnes). 5

4.8 Figures for reserves are available from 2007. The table below shows the sales figure alongside the reserves figure for sand and gravel in Hertfordshire.

Table 1: Sand and gravel sales compared with permitted reserves in Hertfordshire since 2001 Year Sales of soft sand Permitted reserves of and sharp sands soft sand and sharp and gravel (tonnes) sands and gravel (tonnes) 2005 965,238 - 2006 1,230,885 - 2007 1,010,466 10,840,668 2008 988,517 10,869,000

2009 1,214,3066 10,619,000 2010 1,172,890 10,786,465 2011 1,268,465 16,700,000 2012 1,123,645 15,792,000 2013 1,130,295 16,260,000 2014 1,209,532 15,680,000

Source: HCC Authority Monitoring Report 2015 & Annual East of England Aggregates Working Party Aggregates Monitoring Survey return for 2014

4.9 The table above shows that between 2007 and 2010 the permitted reserves of sand and gravel in the county remained fairly constant; however this is now at a

4 East of England Aggregates Working Party Annual Monitoring Report 2013, published 24 June 2014 5 Database of collated results of the BGS 2014 Aggregate Minerals Survey for England and Wales

6 There is a slight difference between the figure in the HCC Annual Monitoring Report 2010 and the figure recorded by the East of England Aggregate Monitoring Survey for 2009 (1,214,306t and 1,207,000t respectively)

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 8 higher level due to additional planning permissions and reassessment of actual reserves by operators.

Extraction Sites

4.10 There are currently seven quarries in Hertfordshire with planning permission for the extraction of sand and gravel, with only four currently extracting. The details of these are presented in Table 2 below.

4.11 Based on 2013 levels Hertfordshire contains 11% of the permitted sand and gravel reserves in the East of England region7.

4.12 Anecdotal evidence suggests that sites are not producing enough sand and gravel to keep up with demand which has increased due to the upturn in development as the economy recovers out of recession.

Table 2: Permitted sand and gravel extraction sites in Hertfordshire Active Operator Status Restoration Cessation dates Extraction Site Westmill Cemex UK Active. Non- Extraction 31-12-2015 Quarry Ltd hazardous Site permission 31-12- Ware landfill 2017. Hatfield Cemex UK Active. Inert landfill Extraction and site Quarry Ltd Processing plant on permission 01-10- Symondshyde original Hatfield Quarry 2020. Farm site area. Tyttenhanger Lafarge Active. Inert landfill Extraction and site Quarry Tarmac Ltd Permission in February permission 31-12- Colney Heath 2011, for the extraction 2032. on land identified as Preferred Area No.3 in the Minerals Local Plan Review 2002-2016. Panshanger Lafarge Inert landfill Extraction 31-12-2030. Active. Quarry Tarmac Ltd Hertford Permitted Operator Status Restoration Cessation dates but Inactive Extraction Site Thorley Hall David Agricultural 5 years after Inactive. Farm Tinney reservoir commencement date (3 years to implement permission dated 13/5/2014) -13/5/2022 at the latest

7 East of England Aggregates Working Party Annual Monitoring Report 2013

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 9 Rickneys Hanson Inert landfill Unimplemented Inactive, mothballed site. Quarry Aggregates permission with No current extraction extension to Chapmore taking place. End implementation being Unimplemented an outstanding permitted area forms part application. of Preferred Area No.2 in the Minerals Local Plan Review 2002-2016. Waterhall Waterhall Inert landfill Extraction 21-02-2017. Inactive extraction. Hertford (England) Ltd/Frank Only sand and gravel Lyons reserves under plant site. Closed sites Operator Status Future Use in 2014 Dobbs Weir Lafarge Part of Lee - Closed. Plant removed Quarry Tarmac Ltd Valley and fully restored. Dobbs Weir Regional Park

4.13 In addition there are 3 sand and gravel quarry sites that are currently in the restoration phase. These sites are as follows:

o Pole Hole/Hollingson Meads in Gilston near Harlow (completion expected Autumn 2015) o Great Westwood Quarry near Watford (final restoration stage), o Waterhall in Bayfordbury near Hertford (Bunker’s Hill part of the site - inert landfill permission expires 31-12-2017.

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 10 Figure 3: Geology of Hertfordshire with permitted sand and gravel sites

Apportionments

4.14 The current annual apportionment for Hertfordshire is 1.39 million tonnes of sand and gravel.

4.15 The county’s sand and gravel apportionment figure has changed over time due to periodic reviews. In 1998 the annual apportionment was set at 2.4 million tonnes. The annual apportionment in the current adopted Minerals Local Plan was set at 1.99 million tonnes for the time period 2002-2016 (as detailed in former Minerals Planning Guidance Note 6: Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England, 1994-2016, dated April 1994, as amended June 2003). This figure was subsequently reviewed through the National and Regional guidelines in 2009 and now stands at 1.39 million tonnes for the time period 2005-2020. This sub-regional apportionment was approved by the East of England Aggregates Working Party based on the Managed Aggregate Supply System (MASS) which was in operation at the time and now forms part of the NPPG.

4.16 Figure 3 provides a comparison of Hertfordshire’s sales figures over the ten year period 2005 to 2014 against the county’s apportionments during this period.

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 11 Figure 4: Comparison of Hertfordshire's total sand and gravel sales 2005 - 2014 and apportionment levels of 1.39 million tonnes from 2005 onwards

Sand and Gravel sales compared with apportionments

1.5 1.4 1.3 Apportionments 1.2 Sand and Gravel sales 1.1

Milliontonnes 1 0.9

Year

4.17 The apportionment level changed in 20058 from 1.99mtpa to 1.39mtpa. It can be seen in the graph that sales have been below apportionment levels and do not meet apportionments for any year, although came close in 2006 and 2011.

4.18 The government has revised the apportionment over time. It announced revised requirements for national and regional aggregates provision in 2009, which were lower than the previous requirements published in 2003. When regional planning was in place, the review of the East of England Regional Plan recommended an annual apportionment of 1.44 million tonnes. However, publication in September 2009 of the National and Local Guidelines for Aggregate Provision in England from 2005-20209 provided a figure of 1.39 million tonnes and with the abolition of regional planning this apportionment figure has been agreed and set locally for Hertfordshire by the East of England Aggregates Working Party.

4.19 The 2009 guidelines states in Annex A that the revised apportionment reflects an overall fall in national demand for sand and gravel and crushed rock, an increase in the assumed contribution use of alternatives to primary aggregates notably construction and demolition waste, an increase in the assumed contribution of marine sand and gravel and decrease in the assumed contribution of net imports.

4.20 Figure 4 illustrates how this lower apportionment level reduces the gap between sales and apportionments.

8 As set out in DCLG, 2009, National and regional guidelines for aggregates provision in England 2005-2020; 9 DCLG, 2009, National and regional guidelines for aggregates provision in England 2005-2020;

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 12 Local approach to determining apportionment figures 10 year and 3 year sales average

4.21 The NPPF states in paragraph 145 that Mineral Planning Authorities (MPAs) should prepare an annual LAA ‘based on a rolling average of 10 years sales data, and other relevant information, and an assessment of all supply options (including marine dredged, secondary and recycled sources)’. When planning for a steady and adequate supply of aggregates, such local information includes geology, environmental issues, local demand and past patterns of supply.

4.22 The government’s aim is to provide a simpler and more transparent approach to calculating the apportionment than the sub-regional apportionment method that relies on a complex model incorporating a range of confidential variables.

4.23 The NPPG suggests the use of the 3 year sales average to identify a general trend in sales and consider increasing supply if this is appropriate. The NPPG suggests that the rolling 10 year average, 3 year average sales and sub-regional guidelines should all be had regard to in order to establish a broad view of planned provision.

4.24 The difference in the agreed apportionment and average sales are as follows:

Sales and apportionment Million tonnes per annum Agreed apportionment 1.39 10 year sales average 1.13 (2005-2014) 3 year sales average 1.15 (2012-2014)

4.25 The NPPG states MPAs can plan for more or less than the figure set out in the sub-regional guidelines based on their LAA and ‘in those areas where apportionment of the land-won element has already taken place, those figures may be used as an indicator as to how much should be planned for’ (NPPG, paragraph 071).

4.26 There may be advantages of taking into account average sales data over a period of time which levels out the peaks and troughs of an economic cycle by accounting for periods of slow (2008-2011) and high (2001-2007) economic growth. However, the table above shows that if the current ten or three year sales averages were used to calculate the sand and gravel landbank for Hertfordshire, this would result in a lower provision being planned for. This figure will change yearly due to the rolling average of sales data, but at present would place additional pressure on neighbouring MPAs to meet any shortfall if the demand for aggregates rises such as increased certainty of a higher level of

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 13 future growth in the county as Local Planning Authorities set their housing figures.

Landbank of permitted mineral reserves

4.27 Permitted reserves of sand and gravel in Hertfordshire (i.e. sites with planning permission to extract) are currently 15,680,000 tonnes (as of the end of 2014) (see table 1). The annual apportionment for Hertfordshire is 1,390,000 million tonnes based on the DCLG 2009 guidance.

4.28 By using the permitted reserves and dividing this figure by the annual apportionment figure, this shows the landbank in years. A landbank is defined in the Minerals Local Plan as ‘a stock of planning permissions for the winning and working of minerals’.

4.29 The current landbank (as of the end of 2014) for Hertfordshire is 11.3 years.

4.30 As a comparison, landbanks for the previous years (all based on 1.39mtpa since 2005) were as follows:

o 11.7 years in 2013. A reassessment of reserves took place. o 11.4 years in 2012. No additional reserves were approved. o 12 years in 2011 when additional reserves were approved; o 7.8 years in 2010. The reason for this lower figure is due to the fact that Rickneys eastern extension was not permitted at this time which is reflected in the subsequent years.

4.31 Sand and gravel permitted reserves that make up the figure to calculate the landbank are contained in seven sites in Table 2 (Westmill, Hatfield, Tyttenhanger, Panshanger, Rickneys, Waterhall and Thorley Hall Farm). The latest return for Dobbs Weir stated that there are no remaining reserves to extract.

4.32 Table 3 shows the most up-to-date landbank calculations based on the reserves and showing the difference when sales figures are used compared with the apportionment figure.

Table 3: Landbanks for sand and gravel in Hertfordshire in 2014 Permitted reserves as at 31/12/2014 15,680,000 East of England AWP apportionment for Herts 2005-2020 1,390,000 Landbank based on EEAWP apportionment (years) 11.3

Permitted reserves as at 31/12/2014 15,680,000 10 year average sales 2005-2014 1,131,424 Landbank based on 10 year average sales (years) 13.9

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 14 Permitted reserves as at 31/12/2014 15,680,000 3 year average sales 2012-2014 1,154,491 Landbank based on 3 year average sales (years) 13.6

4.33 The NPPF states that MPAs should make provision for the maintenance of landbanks of at least seven years for sand and gravel and should prepare an LAA based on a rolling average of 10 years sales data and other relevant information. This is provided by way of securing planning permissions for sites that will provide aggregate over this period to fulfil the apportionment on a yearly basis. As stated in the table above, the landbank in the county is currently above the recommended seven year level, when based on the agreed EEAWP apportionment. The level of provision of sand and gravel would be extended by further years when calculating it against the ten and three year sales averages.

Timeline for mineral planning

4.34 For mineral planning purposes the landbank is crucial. The council will consider the existing high level of planned provision when reviewing the Minerals Local Plan. Based on the reserves and given the end date of the existing Minerals Local Plan (2002-2016) and time for working up the review document from now, it is considered that a reasonable time frame would be 2016-2031. This is in line with the NPPF, in paragraph 157 which states that ‘Local Plans should be drawn up over an appropriate time scale, preferably a 15-year time horizon, take account of longer term requirements, and be kept up to date;’

Start of plan End of plan 2016 2018 (adoption) (11.3-13.9 year landbank) 2028-2030 2031 (15 year period)

5 IMPORTS AND EXPORTS

5.1 Data relating to the sales and consumption of aggregates are collected and collated at the national and regional level. The most up to date published figures have been used in this report.

5.2 A national four-yearly Aggregate Minerals Survey (AMS) provides in–depth and up to date information of regional and national sales, inter–regional flows, transportation, consumption and permitted reserves of primary aggregates in England and Wales. Conducted by DCLG and BGS the latest survey was carried out in 2015 to capture data for 2014. Table 4 has been compiled using the AMS 2009 report with additional information obtained through direct correspondence with the BGS relating to the origin and destination of aggregates. For comparison purposes data from 2009 has been used, as this is the year which has a complete set of data which has been released.

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 15 Table 4: Hertfordshire's primary aggregates imports and exports (2009) Mineral Import Consumption Export Balance amount (tonnes)11 (tonnes)12 (imports- 10 (tonnes) exports) (tonnes) Land won sand and 163,000 1,053,000 317,000 - 154,000 gravel Marine sand and 1,000 1,000 0 + 1,000 gravel Total sand and 164,000 1,054,000 317,000 - 153,000 gravel

Crushed rock 413,000 413,000 0 + 413,000 Total aggregates 577,000 1,467,000 317,000 + 260,000 Note: In balance column, a ‘-‘ prefix indicates a net export, and a ‘+’ prefix indicates a net import.

5.3 The results of the Aggregate Minerals Survey in 2009 showed that movements of sand and gravel into and out of Hertfordshire are not self-balancing (Table 4). Overall, Hertfordshire is a net exporter of sand and gravel, although there is a small amount of marine sand and gravel imported. Hertfordshire relies on imports of crushed rock, as this is not found in the county.

Imports – Sand and Gravel

5.4 Of the total sand and gravel consumed in Hertfordshire (1,054,000 tonnes) as reported in the AMS 2009:

o 85% came from within Hertfordshire; o 5-10% came from Essex; o 5-10% came from Bedfordshire (Central and Bedford Borough) o Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire each supplied less than 1%; o (NOTE: Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Suffolk, Cheshire East and Berkshire also supplied less than 1% each and tonnages were small as to be only a few lorry loads).

Imports – Marine sources

5.5 Of the 1,000 tonnes of marine sand and gravel consumed in Hertfordshire as reported in the AMS 2009 (Table 11):

o 49% was supplied via Kent; o 51% was supplied via London. 13

10 Table 10, DCLG & BGS, 2009, Collation of the results of the 2009 aggregate minerals survey for England and Wales 11 Table 11, DCLG & BGS, 2009, Collation of the results of the 2009 aggregate minerals survey for England and Wales 12 Table 9d (calculation of land won sand and gravel to the East of England plus elsewhere) DCLG & BGS, 2009, Collation of the results of the 2009 aggregate minerals survey for England and Wales 13 Information supplied directly by BGS

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 16

5.6 In summary, of the imports of sand and gravel into Hertfordshire, 94% came from within the East of England area and 6% from outside the East of England area. 14

Imports – Crushed Rock

5.7 Of the total crushed rock consumed in Hertfordshire (413,000 tonnes) as reported in the AMS 2009 (Table 11):

o 58% came from Leicestershire; o 20-25% came from Derbyshire; o 5-10% came from Somerset; o 5-10% came from Yorkshire Dales NP; o 1-5% came from Powys; o Northamptonshire, Rutland, Cumbria and Oxfordshire each supplied less than 1%.15 5.8 In summary, of the imports of crushed rock, 100% came from outside the East of England area. 16

Exports – Sand and Gravel

5.9 Of the total land won sand and gravel sales from quarries in Hertfordshire (1,207,314 tonnes) as reported in the AMS 2009: 17

o 73.74% was used within Hertfordshire (of this 74% was transported by road and 26% by rail); o 11.22% went to West London; o 7.8% went to Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes; o 2.4% went to Essex, Southend and Thurrock; o 1.94% went to East London; o 1.65% went to an unknown destination but somewhere in Greater London; o 0.75% went to Bedfordshire (Central Bedfordshire, Bedford & Luton); o 0.29% went to Berkshire; o 0.11% went to Surrey; o 0.03% went to Oxfordshire; o 0.02% went to Lincolnshire; o 0.004% went to Cambridgeshire & Peterborough; and o 0.002% went to Kent & Medway.

From a national perspective the UK Minerals Yearbook 201318 reports the following: 5.10 In the UK there were:

o 50 million tonnes of sand and gravel consumed; and

14 Information supplied directly by BGS 15 Information supplied directly by BGS 16 Information supplied directly by BGS 17 Access database supplied with the AM2009 Survey 18 Page 22, BGS, 2014, United Kingdom Minerals Yearbook 2013, Minerals and Waste Programme Open Report OR/14/036

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 17 o 83 million tonnes of crushed rock consumed; o 526 sand and gravel workings in the UK (as at April 2014); 19

5.11 Of the aggregates produced in the UK in 201220:

o 41.8 million tonnes was land-won sand and gravel; o 14.2 million tonnes was marine dredged sand and gravel; o 93.5 million tonnes was crushed rock; and o 3 million tonnes was clay and shale and fireclay (for bricks).

Total imports of sand and gravel and crushed rock into the UK in 2012 were 39.2 million tonnes and total exports from the UK were 68.2 million tonnes21

The Annual Minerals Raised Inquiry (AMRI) 2013 reports the following:

o In Hertfordshire, 12,000 tonnes of clay was extracted and sold for the manufacture of bricks, pipes and tiles; A total of 4 million tonnes was extracted in Great Britain22 o The UK had a 1.4% rise in total sand and gravel sales from 5,497 to 6,464 thousand tonnes 2012-2013;

o In Hertfordshire, 30,000 tonnes of chalk was extracted and sold for agricultural uses. A total of 330 000 tonnes was extracted in England 23 o The UK had a 1.5% rise in sales from 3,473 to 3,528 thousand tonnes 2012- 2013; o Hertfordshire is listed as one of only 13 areas in Great Britain that produce chalk.

o UK total sales of sand and gravel rose by 3.6% from 2012-2013, rising from 50,044 to 51,925 thousand tonnes.24

From the East of England area perspective the Area’s Annual Monitoring Report 2013 reports the following:

o Hertfordshire contributed 12% of sand and gravel sales in the East of England in 2013; 25 o Only Cambridgeshire & Peterborough has a higher landbank of sand and gravel than Hertfordshire in the East of England; 26

19 Page 18 of BGS, 2014, United Kingdom Minerals Yearbook 2013, Minerals and Waste Programme Open Report OR/14/036 20 (http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/statistics/downloads/MineralsProducedInTheUnitedKingdom.pdf) 21 Page 19 of BGS, 2014, United Kingdom Minerals Yearbook 2013, Minerals and Waste Programme Open Report OR/14/036 22 Table 8, DCLG & ONS, Feb 2015, Annual Mineral Raised Inquiry (AMRI) ‘Mineral extraction in Great Britain 2013’, Business Monitor PA1007 23 Table 9, DCLG & ONS, 2013, Annual Mineral Raised Inquiry (AMRI) ‘Mineral extraction in Great Britain 2012’, Business Monitor PA1007 24 Table 2, DCLG & ONS, 2013, Annual Mineral Raised Inquiry (AMRI) ‘Mineral extraction in Great Britain 2012’, Business Monitor PA1007 25 Figure 2 of East of England Aggregates Working Party, Annual Monitoring Report 2013 26 Page 7,of East of England Aggregates Working Party, Annual Monitoring Report 2013

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 18 o The East of England landbank (average over all authorities) stood at 9.8 years using the sub-regional apportionment figure derived from the National and regional Guidelines 2005-2020.; 27 o Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and Norfolk are the only authorities in the East of England that extract rock and propose to maintain current extraction rates; o Although likely to be under-representations, in 2013 the EEAWP area imported over 1.4 million tonnes of aggregate (sand and gravel and crushed rock) from outside the area by rail depots and wharfs. In comparison exports of aggregates from the area by rail were over 264,000 tonnes. 28

Sales and Construction

5.12 The following table shows the comparison of sales and consumption in Hertfordshire in 2009.

Table 5: Sales and consumption in 2009 Destination Proportion Assumed Figure Hertfordshire 74% 890,000t East of England 3% 39,000t Elsewhere 23% 278,000t Total Sales of Land Won Sand & Gravel (2009) 100% 1,207,000t Consumption 1,467,000t Source: DCLG & BGS, 2009, Collation of the results of the 2009 Aggregate Minerals Survey for England and Wales

5.13 The AMS indicated that most of Hertfordshire’s sand and gravel produced is consumed in the county (74%). Of the exports, the majority of the sand and gravel is used outside of the East of England region (23%).

Rail Aggregate Depots

5.14 Linked with the mineral industry is the need for rail aggregate depots within the county. Hertfordshire has a total of five such sites which are at:

o Langley Sidings, Stevenage; o Rye House, Hoddesdon; o Harper Lane, Radlett; o Orphanage Road, Watford; and o Hitchin.

5.15 These are shown on the proposals map in the Hertfordshire Minerals Local Plan, 2007 and Minerals Consultation Areas Supplementary Planning document, and are safeguarded facilities. However, Hitchin rail aggregate depot is not currently operating.

27 Page 7,of East of England Aggregates Working Party, Annual Monitoring Report 2013 28 Pages 9 & 10 of East of England Aggregates Working Party, Annual Monitoring Report 2013

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 19 5.16 Imports of minerals at the operational rail aggregate depots for 2013/14 were as follows29:

Mineral imported at RADs Total tonnage

Crushed rock 501,789

Sharp sands and gravels 43,338

Total 545,127

5.17 Crushed rock passes through Langley Sidings. Concrete batching is carried out at Orphanage Road, ready mix at Langley Sidings and Harper Lane and asphalt plants at Langley Sidings and Harper Lane. The asphalt plant is no longer operating at Rye House, instead the site only handles dry stone.

5.18 Further discussions are planned to be carried out with the rail aggregate depots to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the destinations of minerals to and from these sites.

Figure 5: Hertfordshire's rail aggregate depots

29 HCC Rail Aggregate Depots, Aggregate Monitoring Surveys 2013 & 2014

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 20

Brick Clay

5.19 Hertfordshire has one site which excavates brick clay for the use on-site in the production of specialist bricks. The current planning permission at the site runs until 31 December 2025 for extraction.

5.20 There is no apportionment for clay provision; however the NPPF requires that a stock of permitted reserves of at least 25 years for brick clay is required. The adopted Minerals Local Plan did not require a landbank of brick clay. The review of the Minerals Local Plan therefore needs to address this issue. This will be planned for in the review of the Minerals Local Plan and could be shown as a Mineral Safeguarded Area(s).

5.21 Reserves at the site are unpredictable due to the nature of the deposit. In accordance with the current planning permission, there are reserves at the site for another 11 years. It is therefore unlikely that at present reserves will remain over the life of the proposed plan period.

5.22 However, information in the EIA Screening Opinion submitted by the specialist brickworks30 indicates that there could be potential for a further 18.7 years of clay extraction subject to planning permission. This could result in 29.7 years’ worth of clay when combined with the extant planning permission lifespan, which would be more than sufficient to cover the required 25 years supply stated in the NPPF.

5.23 In the interim, the existing policies in the adopted Minerals Local Plan 2002-2016 can be relied upon by decision makers to determine any planning applications that may come forward until the Minerals Local Plan is reviewed. The NPPF is a material planning consideration and therefore would need to be taken into account. Therefore reference to the NPPF may be necessary should any issues relating to clay come forward before the review of the Minerals Local Plan.

Chalk

5.24 Chalk is extracted in Hertfordshire for use as an agricultural lime on farms to improve soil quality and is therefore classed as an industrial mineral rather than an aggregate used in construction (e.g. for use in cement).Hertfordshire does not have a working cement plant and therefore it is not necessary to plan for a separate landbank for this resource.

30 Chamley Associates, April 2014, Bovingdon Brickworks Limited, Pudds Cross Proposed Brick-Clay Extraction, Preliminary Outline for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Opinion

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 21 5.25 The Annual Minerals Raised Inquiry Survey 2013 states that there were sales of 30 thousand tonnes of chalk in Hertfordshire for agricultural uses31. For information purposes and the monitoring of sites the table below provides further information on these sites with permitted reserves:-

Table 6: Permitted chalk extraction sites in Hertfordshire Site Operator Status Cessation date for planning permission Codicote Currently active. Extraction to cease by Codicote Quarry Extraction since 21/2/2042 Quarry Ltd 1948, in two parts: RoMPP (northern part) and IDO (southern part). Bedwell Currently active. Extraction to cease by BP Mitchell Park Quarry 21/2/2042 Haulage Contractors Ltd Anstey Winning and working Extraction to be Anstey Quarry Chalk of chalk and completed by Company Ltd Quarry reclamation of the 31/12/2013 and site by the importation by importation of inert 30/06/20. waste.

6 SECONDARY AND RECYCLED AGGREGATE

6.1 Mineral Planning Authorities are expected to plan for aggregates, taking account of all sources and having regard to the overall objective to minimise the amount of primary extraction. Secondary and recycled aggregates play their part in providing a source of material for construction which reduces the need for extraction at quarry sites and reduces the amount of waste from construction sites needing to be landfilled. With these obvious benefits, the use of this material is encouraged. The county council is monitoring in its AMR, under target 8 of the Waste Core Strategy and Development Management Policies document, the annual percentage diversion of C,D&E waste from landfill. A considerable amount of inert waste is currently being used in the restoration of extraction sites.

6.2 Secondary aggregates are usually by-product wastes from construction, industrial or mineral extraction processes. This includes both natural and manufactured materials such as glass, incinerator bottom ash, fine ceramic

31 Table 9, DCLG, 2014, Annual Minerals Raised Inquiry Survey ‘Minerals extraction in Great Britain 2012, Business Monitor PA1007’

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 22 waste, scrap tyres, flue ash,slag, china clay, coal and slate extraction and spent foundry sand.

6.3 Recycled aggregates are aggregates produced from reprocessed construction, demolition and excavation (CD&E) waste. This includes crushed concrete, stone and brick, asphalt road planings and railway ballast.

6.4 The processing of aggregate occurs both on construction sites for reuse on the same site or off site for use in other construction works.

Inert Waste Management in Hertfordshire

6.5 The data available on recovered material that can be sold as recycled and particularly secondary aggregate is variable and not considered completely reliable. The county council receives limited data provided by site operators in the annual surveys relating to aggregate recovery. Of the data provided by operators, in 2014 there was 362,203 tonnes of secondary and recycled

aggregate produced in Hertfordshire. 32 The figure reflects the slow in the rate of construction projects in recent years.

Year Recycled and Secondary Aggregate Processing (tonnes)

2005 95,951

2006 172,238

2007 267,210

2008 229,769

2009 258,427

2010 346,560

2011 303,869

2012 316,941

2013 329,457

2014 362,203

6.6 According to the Environment Agency’s Waste Data Interrogator, 2011 figures showed that 229,206 tonnes of inerts C,D & E waste was treated in the county.

32 Hertfordshire County Council annual waste survey 2015

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 23 This figure does not however include figures at waste transfer stations that bulk

up and transfer aggregate on to recycling facilities for processing. 33

6.7 At the sub-regional level, the most recent study on secondary and recycled aggregate arisings was undertaken in 2005 by a contractor on behalf of DCLG. The figures for Hertfordshire featured in the report as a combined figure with Bedfordshire to show that these two authorities produced a combined 1,269,259

tonnes of recycled aggregates. 34

6.8 The adopted Waste Core Strategy and Development Management Policies document concludes that there is sufficient permitted capacity within the county

for the disposal and treatment of this waste stream. 35

Secondary and Recycled Aggregate Sources

6.9 There are currently ten sites with planning permission for the recovery of inert CD&E waste in Hertfordshire, as listed below. Some sites also process C&I waste. Figure 6 shows the location of these sites in the county.

SITE COMPANY STATUS 5 Hunting Gate, Hitchin Winters Haulage Permanent Anstey Chalk Pit The Anstey Quarry Temporarily permitted until Company Ltd June 2020 Burnside, Hatfield Peter Brothers Ltd Permanent Cavendish Road Depot, Stevenage Borough Permanent Stevenage Council Codicote Quarry The Anstey Quarry Temporarily permitted until Company Ltd February 2042 Harper Lane (Rail Loop) Tarmac Ltd Permanent Harper Lodge Farm, Ground Waste Recycling Permanent Radlett Ltd Birchall Lane, Welwyn BP Mitchell Ltd Temporarily permitted until Garden City April 2016. Decision for permanent facility approved at Committee on 24.9.2015 subject to S106 and referral to Secretary of State.

33 HCC, 2013, Authority Monitoring Report 34 DCLG, 2007, Survey of Arisings and Use of Alternatives to Primary Aggregates in England, 2005 Construction, Demolition and Excavation Waste 35 Waste Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Development Plan Document, p. 30, paragraphs 3.20 and 3.21.

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 24 Jacks Hill/Land adjacent Envirowaste Ltd/ Permanent (currently to B197, North of Stevenage Skips under construction). Graveley Waverley Nursery, H. Dent & Sons Permanent Wormley

6.10 Discussions with industry36 have concluded that secondary and recycled aggregate is at saturation point within the county. This means that the recycling of aggregates and the use of secondary aggregates is at full capacity and there is little scope for any increase in this source of aggregate in the county. This will require consideration in the review of the Minerals Local Plan.

Figure 6: Location of permitted sites in Hertfordshire for the production of recycled/secondary aggregates

Expected Contribution to Supply

6.11 In terms of relying on secondary and recycled aggregate and thereby reducing the need for extracting land won sand and gravel to meet the demand in

36 This was discussed at the Minerals Local Plan interested parties event held on 19 March 2015.

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 25 Hertfordshire, precise data on this supply option needs to be available to factor this into mineral planning. This is not always available. The county council surveyed operators of known recycled and secondary aggregate sites and figures have been provided.

6.12 In addition, there is the use of some inert material that is reprocessed on demolition sites and used in their redevelopment as groundworks and basic engineering fill. Whilst this is potentially a lower grade aggregate, its use can also offset the need for primary won extraction of sand and gravel. Again, the difficulty is obtaining reliable data to quantify how much of this material can be relied upon.

6.13 Issues with data availability and reliability for secondary and recycled aggregates does not allow for a firm figure for local supply of this source of aggregate in Hertfordshire. It is considered reasonable to assume that as the economy recovers out of recession, volumes of secondary and recycled aggregates similar to those of recent years will continue to be available in the county. As such there should not be any significant effect on the demand for newly extracted land won sand and gravel.

6.14 In a similar way, a small amount of marine dredged sand and gravel as detailed in table 4 and paragraph 5.5 is imported for use in the county. It is considered reasonable to assume that this supply of sand and gravel will continue to be used in the county at a similar volume in future years and therefore there should not be a significant effect on the amount of newly extracted sand and gravel required. As stated in table 4 and paragraph 5.7, hard rock is supplied from other counties as Hertfordshire does not have any of this resource. As the economy grows it is assumed that as this aggregate is already within the supply chain it is considered reasonable to assume that the proportions of market demand currently being met from these sources will continue to be met.

7 FUTURE AGGREGATES SUPPLY AND DEMAND Supply

7.1 As shown in the calculations of sand and gravel landbanks in table 3, using the EEAWP sub-regional apportionment of 1.39mtpa (11.3 years), the 10 year rolling average sales (13.9 years) or the 3 year average sales figures (13.6 years), the county does not have sufficient permitted reserves to fulfil the requirement for a 15 year Minerals Local Plan period. As such the county council will seek to address this by allocating sufficient land in the review of the Minerals Local Plan.

7.2 A comparison of the sub-regional apportionment with the shortfall is shown below:

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 26 Table 7: Requirement for sand and gravel in Hertfordshire over the plan period of 15 years to 2031

10 year EEAWP average apportionment sales (2005- 2009 (Mt) 2014)(Mt) Annual provision 1.13 1.39 Total Plan Requirement: 16.95 20.85 Annual provision x plan period (15 years)

Permitted Reserves (2014) 15.68 15.68 Minus this figure

Shortfall 1.27 5.17

7.3 Historically the nationally prescribed regional apportionment figure for mineral provision was sub divided proportionally between authorities within the Region under the Managed Aggregates Supply System which was in operation at the time. This approach to calculating apportionments has now changed with the introduction of new national guidelines in the NPPF and the NPPG. The NPPG states in paragraph 060 (Reference ID: 27-060-20140306) that the MASS ‘requires mineral planning authorities which have adequate resources of aggregates to make an appropriate contribution to national as well as local supply, while making due allowance for the need to control any environmental damage to an acceptable level’.

7.4 The NPPF seeks to plan for a steady and adequate supply of aggregates by preparing an annual Local Aggregate Assessment which should be ‘based on a rolling average of 10 years data and other relevant local information, and an assessment of all supply options (including marine dredged, secondary and recycled sources);’. In addition, the NPPG states in paragraph 064 (Reference ID: 27-064-20140306) that ‘Mineral Planning Authorities should also look at average sales over the last three years in particular to identify the general trend of demand as part of the consideration of whether it might be appropriate to increase supply’.

7.5 Whilst the average rolling 10 years sales could be one way of calculating provision, needing to be reported within the LAA, the NPPF also states that there is still heavy emphasis on the role of Aggregate Working Parties. The Government continues to encourage MPAs to be members of Aggregate Working Parties in addition to aggregate industry representatives. The East of England AWP is continuing in its capacity as it was when working under the regional planning system, and has collective sign up by authorities that it is appropriate for all MPAs in the East of England to continue to work with the 2009 EEAWP sub-regional apportionment figure for the foreseeable future.

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 27 7.6 In addition, when planning for mineral provision the NPPF provides the option for MPAs to factor in ‘other relevant information’. This therefore provides the scope for MPAs to assess other influences on the demand for aggregates. This links with the localism agenda whereby authorities are given the opportunity to factor in local issues that may influence the need for minerals in their area. However, determining what other relevant information consists of is a matter for the MPA to decide. For Hertfordshire it is considered that an assessment of the state of the local economy, will provide data that can be used to determine the purpose and timing that minerals will be required for development, which can be fed into the review of the MLP.

7.7 The county council needs to consider the potential constraints on the ability to supply aggregate from different sources. The use of marine aggregate is minimal due to Hertfordshire being land locked. If it were to become a source that it utilised more readily in the future, this will require transportation from and reliance upon other mineral planning authority areas and therefore is not as sustainable a source. The market would need to require this material and negotiation would need to take place with other mineral planning authorities. It appears that there is now an established market for secondary and recycled aggregates to be used in development projects and as a result the available material is being recycled. How far this can be expanded upon is an option to explore but is dependent upon the construction and demolition material being available in the first instance to recycle. In terms of practical limitations on the supply of land won aggregate from Hertfordshire, this may be impacted upon by the development being proposed in the ten district/borough councils within the county to deliver their Local Plan visions with increased housing provision. Negotiations will continue to be had with districts/boroughs. Another consideration is the adequacy of the transportation network to move material around the county. The highway network is heavily used within the county and therefore the movement of additional mineral from sites needs careful consideration. In addition, over half of Hertfordshire is covered by Green Belt, as a result this policy needs to be fully considered.

7.8 From these potential constraints described above, we can conclude that DtC meetings with other authorities is essential, mineral sterilisation, transportation, Green Belt and secondary and recycled aggregates all need to continue to be included within the review of the Minerals Local Plan.

Potential Future Supply from Preferred Areas

7.9 The adopted Minerals Local Plan 2002-2016, adopted in 2007 contains 3 Preferred Areas:

o PA1 – BAE o PA2 – Rickneys; &

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 28 o PA3 – Coursers Road (Tyttenhanger)

7.10 Of these sites, two of them have come forward for extraction. Extraction of sand and gravel was permitted at Coursers Road, Tyttenhanger and is currently taking place. The figures for reserves are included within Table 1 above. Planning permission has also been granted for extraction of sand and gravel at Rickneys. The reserves are included within Table 1, however this site has been mothballed and the operator is not currently extracting from this site. There is no plant and machinery at the site. The other site, BAE has not had a planning application submitted and no extraction is taking place. As such the figure is not included in table 1.

7.11 As stated within the adopted Minerals Local Plan, estimated resources at BAE Preferred Area 1 is 8 million tonnes of sand and gravel. Therefore should the supply of this mineral come forward in the future it could assist with meeting the sand and gravel requirements to be planned for in the county. This site will be considered alongside the site selection criteria within the site selection methodology for the review of the Minerals Local Plan which is taking place.

Demand

7.12 District and borough councils in Hertfordshire will plan for objectively assessed needs. Development will require aggregate materials for the construction of dwellings and associated infrastructure such as employment, roads, schools and retail. This includes both the need for land won aggregates and secondary and recycled aggregates.

Population Projections

7.13 The latest estimate of the usual resident population of Hertfordshire is 1,140,700 as at 30/6/13. 37 This is an increase of 11,60038 in the last year. Using the Office of National Statistic’s published data of the 2012-based subnational population projections for England, population projections for Hertfordshire suggest an increase of approximately 271600 (24.05%) in population over the 25 year period from 2012 to 2037. 39

Housing completions and forecast

7.14 The Spatial Planning and Economy Unit at Hertfordshire County Council annually surveys the county to check on the permitted housing developments that have been started and completed. Information obtained for 2013 shows:

o There were 3,069 housing completions in 2013. This figure is lower than that of previous years.

37 ONS mid-2012 population estimates, as reported in Hertfordshire’s Local Information System (www.hertslis.org) 38 www.hertslis.org 39 ONS mid-2012 population estimates, as reported in Hertfordshire’s Local Information System (www.hertslis.org)

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 29 o There were 3,507 housing starts in 2013. This figure is higher than that of previous years. o Only 3 of the housing starts recorded were also completed within this year. This shows that developments are not being completed rapidly.

7.15 The Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Strategic Economic Plan (LEP SEP) is planning for housing provision of 16,600 homes.

7.16 The following table shows a summary of the housing projections that each District/Borough Councils have decided will need to be constructed based on each authority areas objectively assessed housing needs:

District/Borough Planned housing requirement Source of housing Council figure Broxbourne (5,000 homes until 2030) This Duty to Cooperate works out to be just over 300 per meeting 11/2/15 annum Dacorum 430 per annum (10,750 from Core Strategy 2006-2031 2006-2031) adopted 25/9/2013 East Herts 750 per annum (15,000 from Draft Preferred Options 2011-2031) Plan 2011-2031 on consultation February- May 2014 Hertsmere 266 per annum (3,990 from Core Strategy 2012-2027 2012-2027) adopted January 2013 North Herts (14,400 from 2011-2031) This Cabinet Paper 16 June works out to be 720per annum 2015 ‘Strategic Planning An additional allowance of 2,100 Matters’ homes is also planned to meet unmet needs from the Luton market area. St Albans 436-586 per annum Duty to Cooperate meeting 3/6/15 & Independent Assessment of Housing Needs and Strategic Housing market Assessment December 2013 Stevenage 380 per annum (7,600 from Duty to Cooperate 2011-2031) meeting 12/6/15 Three Rivers 180 per annum (4,500 by Core Strategy 2011-2026 2025/26) adopted 17/10/2011 Watford 260 per annum (6,500 from Core Strategy 2006-2031 2006-2031) adopted 30/1/2013 Welwyn Hatfield (12,500 from 2011-2031) This Local Plan consultation works out to be 625 per annum document January 2015

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 30

Key Planned Infrastructure Requirements

7.17 The requirement for minerals will increase in the event of the development of major infrastructure within Hertfordshire or in the surrounding areas. The council is mindful of other planned development that will be required to support additional housing growth in and around the county. Whilst mineral miles will be a consideration in the supply of minerals, specific quality of mineral may be required for schemes that is not readily available in the immediate vicinity of the project. As such Hertfordshire may be required to provide minerals to development schemes in neighbouring authority areas. Other significant schemes will be required to accommodate growth and will be monitored annually.

7.18 The certainty of some projects is unknown as is the timing for their delivery therefore it is difficult to programme this requirement into the supply of material for such projects. The known major development schemes and that are being planned in and around Hertfordshire that may require minerals to be supplied are as follows:

Potential schemes detailed within Hertfordshire’s Local Enterprise Partnership Strategic Economic Plan (LEP SEP):

o A120 bypass Little Hadham; o A602 improvements Stevenage to Ware; o A1(M) improvements; o Croxley Rail Link.

Proposed large development schemes within the county recently considered planning applications:

o High Leigh Garden Village (Broxbourne) – mixed use development including 500 dwellings, education, commercial, retail and recreation; o Hazelmere Marina Station Road, Waltham Cross (Broxbourne) – 100 dwellings; o Sappi Site, Lower Road, Hemel Hempstead (Dacorum) – 100 dwellings; o North of Bishops Stortford (East Herts) – 2,200 dwellings; o Land off Marshgate Drive, Hertford (East Herts) – 182 dwellings; o Land south of Station Road, Watton at Stone (East Herts) – 111 dwellings; o Land north of Hare Street, Buntingford (East Herts) – 160 dwellings; o Land south of Hare Street, Buntingford (East Herts) – 100 dwellings; o Land south of Mead Lane, Hertford (East Herts) – 107 dwellings; o Land north of Park Farm Industrial Estate, Ermine Street, Buntingford (East Herts) – 180 dwellings; o Sainsbury’s Depot, Buntingford (East Herts) – 316 dwellings; o Gemini House, Manor Way, Borehamwood (Hertsmere) – 172 dwellings; o Isopad House, Shenley Road, Borehamwood (Hertsmere) – 150 dwellings; o Horizon One, Studio Way, Borehamwood (Hertsmere) – 130 dwellings; o Newmarket Road, Royston (North Herts) – 330 dwellings;

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 31 o Tuffnells Way, Harpenden (St Albans) – 118 dwellings; o Napsbury Hospital, London Colney (St Albans) – 645 dwellings; o South of Victoria Street, St Albans (St Albans) – 407 dwellings; o King Harry Lane Playing Fields (St Albans) – 276 dwellings; o Stevenage Town Centre (Stevenage) – 120 dwellings; o Park Place (Stevenage) – 181 dwellings; o Brickdale House (Stevenage) – 116 dwellings; o Rembrandt House, Watford (Watford) – 107 dwellings; o Watford Health Campus, Watford (Watford) - new hospital/healthcare accommodation, together with business, retail, office, food and drink, hotel, and leisure uses, and up to 681 new dwellings, safeguarding of land for the expansion of Laurence Haines primary school, new public spaces and construction of three industrial business units; o Mount Pleasant, Hatfield (Welwyn Hatfield) – 112 dwellings; o QE11 Hospital, Welwyn Garden City (Welwyn Hatfield) – 164 dwellings; o University of Hertfordshire (Welwyn Hatfield) - student accommodation – 290 units o Hatfield town centre redevelopment (Welwyn Hatfield); o Former Glaxo Smith Kline site, Welwyn (Welwyn Hatfield) – 180 dwellings.

Other potential developments that could come forward

o Oaklands College Campus, Smallford (St Albans) - scoping opinion for 350 dwellings; o Broadwater Road West, Welwyn Garden City (Welwyn Hatfield) – outline application submitted for 850 dwellings, hotel, offices, pubs/restaurants/cafes/bars, gym/dance/exercise studio, community use, healthcare, crèche, allotments, skate park, play area and footbridge.

Other development potentially affecting Hertfordshire

o HS2 development; o Crossrail.

8 CONCLUSION

8.1 Planning for mineral provision must be seen in the context of the wider economy and the government’s growth agenda. In light of the current economic recession which began in 2007, average sales of sand and gravel are likely to be skewed. Whilst there may be less of a need for minerals in the short term, mineral planning is concerned with longer term provision. We would not want for there to be an under supply that could restrict future development and hinder future economic growth which is currently being planned for at Local Planning Authority level. As such it is not considered to be a viable approach to simply plan for mineral provision on the average of the last 10 years of sales.

8.2 Whilst the option of using the 3 year average sales to plan for minerals may identify a local influence that requires either more or less minerals to be extracted, this is only a short term requirement. Data from the last 3 years (2009-

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 32 2011) shows sales of sand and gravel in Hertfordshire at 1.22 mtpa which is 0.05mtpa higher than the 10 year average sales. The marginal increase in sand and gravel sales in the latter part of the last 10 years resulted in a dip in the figures in the middle of the three years and no general trend that has occurred. The use of the 3 year average sales data does not provide a clear direction for the 15 year MLP.

8.3 The rolling 10 year sales average may be a better indicator of the need for minerals by using a reasonable time span to judge the need for minerals in the county. However this level of mineral provision is below the last 3 years sales given that it has spanned the period of recession in latter years and a continuous decline in sales until 2005 in the lead up to the recession. It can be seen in Figure 2, when looking at the sales figures over the last 10 years that there is a possibility of a rise in sales just as easily as a decline. To this end, paragraph 14 of the NPPF refers to maintaining sufficient flexibility to adapt to rapid change.

8.4 Planning for mineral provision at the lowest of levels will not allow for any economic recovery out from recession. Paragraph 145 of the NPPF also states that the AWP figures should still be taken into consideration for the purposes of calculating future demand and supply of aggregates. Whilst it is recognised that secondary and recycled aggregates may reduce demand for land won provision of sand and gravel, the local data is not considered sufficiently reliable to properly take account of this and adjust the land won provision requirement that has been debated by EEAWP members and based on a sound and thorough assessment of national need. The small amount of marine aggregates is not significant to adjust the apportionment figure either.

8.5 As such the council considers it sensible to plan in line with the EEAWP agreement and continue to plan for the sub-regional apportionment level to provide for flexibility to maintain supply when the economy recovers. This will ensure that an adequate and steady supply of aggregate is achieved over the longer term.

8.6 This LAA and subsequent annual updates will inform the Minerals Local Plan review.

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 33 References BGS, 2014, United Kingdom Minerals Yearbook 2013, Minerals and Waste Programme Open Report OR/14/036

BGS & ODPM, 2003, Technical report CR/03/075/N, Mineral Resource Information in Support of National, Regional and Local Planning: Hertfordshire and Northwest London Boroughs;

BGS, 2008, Aggregates supply in England, Issues for Planning;

DCLG & ONS, Feb 2015, Annual Mineral Raised Inquiry (AMRI) Mineral extraction in Great Britain 2013, Business Monitor PA1007 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/40776 1/Mineral_extraction_in_Great_Britain_2013.pdf

DCLG & BGS, 2011 (second edition), Collation of the results of the 2009 aggregate minerals survey for England and Wales;

DCLG, 2009, National and regional guidelines for aggregates provision in England 2005-2020;

DCLG, 2007, Survey of Arisings and Use of Alternatives to Primary Aggregates in England, 2005 Construction, Demolition and Excavation Waste;

EoEAWP, 24 June 2014, East of England Aggregates Annual Monitoring Report 2013 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/east-of-england-aggregates-annual- monitoring-report-2013

East of England Aggregates Working Party Survey MPA Collation Form 2011;

HCC, Hertfordshire Annual Monitoring Report 2011;

HCC, Hertfordshire Authority Monitoring Report 2013;

HCC, Hertfordshire Minerals Local Plan Review 2002-2016, adopted 2007;

HCC Site Monitoring Reports, Spatial Planning and Economy Unit;

Hertfordshire Environmental Forum, 2006, Biodiversity Action Plan for Hertfordshire, www.hef.org.uk

Hertfordshire Partnership, A Biodiversity Action Plan for Hertfordshire, March 2006.

Hertfordshire Quality of Life Report 2012 - http://www.hertslis.org/resources/environment/qualityoflife/reports/report2012/

Mineral Produced in the UK in 2010 - http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/statistics/downloads/MineralsProducedInTheUnited Kingdom.pdf

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 34 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (in particular paragraphs 145-146)

National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) (in particular paragraphs 060-071

Practice Guidance on the production and use of Local Aggregate Assessments, Living Document (April 2015), Planning Officers Society and Minerals Products Association http://www.mineralproducts.org/documents/LAA_Guidance.pdf

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 35 Further Information This document has been produced by the Spatial Planning and Economy Unit, Hertfordshire County Council. Should you have any questions in relation to this document please email [email protected].

Local Aggregate Assessment 2015 36