Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment Consultation Draft AUGUST 2 0 1 6 Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016 Contact Graham Gunby Senior Policy Officer: Minerals & Waste Policy Planning & Development Section Resource Management Suffolk County Council 8 Russell Road Ipswich Suffolk IP1 2BX Tel: 01473 264807 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.suffolk.gov.uk For more information about our minerals and waste planning service go to: http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/environment-and-transport/planning-and-buildings/ Cover photograph acknowledgements: 1. Gt Blakenham Energy from Waste Facility, courtesy of SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd, and; 2. Cavenham Quarry, with permission from Allen Newport Ltd. Page 1 Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016 Contents 1. Introduction 2. The minerals industry in Suffolk 3. Sales of sand and gravel 1995 – 2015 4. Comparison of sales with apportionments 5. Location of current sand & gravel workings in Suffolk 6. Suffolk’s landbank of permitted mineral reserves 7. Imports and exports from 2014 Collation 8. Crushed rock imports 9. Assessment of other potential sources of supply • Marine dredged and marine borne aggregates • Recycled and secondary aggregates • Asphalt and concrete batching plants 10. Looking to the future 11. Conclusions Page 2 Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016 List of Figures Figure 1 Simplified geological map of Suffolk Figure 2 National environmental designations in Suffolk Figure 3 Annual sales of sand & gravel in Suffolk 1995 – 2015 Figure 4 Sales and apportionment 1995 – 2015 Figure 5 Map of current sand & gravel workings in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015 Figure 6 Map of existing rail heads capable of handling aggregates Figure 7 Map of wharves handling marine dredged and/or marine borne aggregates Figure 8 Map of recycled aggregates handling facilities Figure 9 Map of asphalt and concrete batching plants in Suffolk Figure 10 Sales, apportionment and 10-year average sales for Suffolk 1995-2015 Figure 11 Trends & correlations of annual sales of sand and gravel (mts) and annual house completions Page 3 Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016 List of Tables Table 1 Sales of sand & gravel in Suffolk by end use 2014 Table 2 Location of primary aggregate sites in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015 Table 3 Sand & gravel land bank in Suffolk based on various output scenarios as at 31 December 2014 Table 4 Sand & gravel land bank in Suffolk based on various output scenarios as at 31 December 2015 Table 5 Origin and percentage of overall consumption of sand and gravel provided by imports to Suffolk in 2014 Table 6 Quantity and destination of sand & gravel exports from Suffolk 2014 Table 7 List of rail facilities capable of handling aggregates Table 8 Quantity and origin of crushed rock imports to Suffolk 2014 Table 9 List of wharves capable of handling marine dredged and marine borne aggregates Table 10 List of recycled aggregates sites in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015 Table 11 Asphalt batching plant facilities in Suffolk Table 12 List of concrete batching plants in Suffolk Table 13 Sites allocated in current Minerals Site Allocations Development Plan Document adopted September 2009 and for which planning permission has not been granted as at 31 December 2014 Table 14 Sites allocated in current Minerals Site Allocation Development Plan Document adopted September 2009 and for which planning permission has not been granted as at 31 December 2015 Table 15 Comparison of planned provision against current apportionment and 10 year average sales as of 31 December 2014 Table16 Comparison of planned provision against current apportionment and 10 year average sales as of 31 December 2015 Table 17 Provision of sand and gravel to 2036 based on the 10 year average sales (as of 31 December 2014) Table 18 Provision of sand and gravel to 2036 based on the 10 year average sales (as of 31 December 2015) Table 19 Housing trajectories Table 20 Housing completions Page 4 Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016 1. Introduction 1.1. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published in March 2012 indicates that: “Mineral Planning Authorities (MPA) should plan for a steady and adequate supply of aggregates by: Preparing an annual Local Aggregates Assessment (LAA)…based on a rolling average of 10 years sales data and other relevant local information, and an assessment of all supply options (including marine dredged, secondary and recycled sources).” 1.2. This LAA produced by Suffolk County Council is in line with the NPPF and should be read in conjunction with the following documents: • Minerals Core Strategy Development Plan Document adopted September 2008 • Minerals Sites Allocation Development Plan Document adopted September 2009: 1.3. The LAA has been prepared in the context of the Managed Aggregate Supply System advice that is described on the Planning Practice Guidance website. http://planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk/blog/guidance/minerals/planning-for- aggregate-minerals/the-managed-aggregate-supply-system/ 1.4. As a coastal county, and one with a history of marine dredged and marine borne aggregate landings at some of its ports, the County Council has also had regard to the UK Marine Policy Statement, the East Inshore and East Offshore Marine Plans and advice from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/69322/p b3654-marine-policy-statement-110316.pdf https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/312496/ east-plan.pdf 1.5. The County Council has consulted with, and sought advice from, the East of England Aggregates Working Party on the content of the LAA. 1.6. The LAA will inform the need for, timing and content of the replacement of the County Council’s Minerals Development Plan Documents (DPDs). This is discussed in more detail in Section 10 of this document. 1.7. Until the replacement of the Minerals DPDs has been completed, the County Council will continue to make provision for sand & gravel in line with the revised apportionment of 1.62 million tonnes a year agreed by the Aggregates Working Party. This figure will be used to calculate the Council’s sand & gravel landbank. Page 5 Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016 2. The minerals industry in Suffolk 2.1. Sand & gravel are the main minerals worked in Suffolk. Small amounts of chalk for agricultural and industrial purposes are also extracted. 2.2. Suffolk imports hard rock primarily by rail from outside the region (mainly from the East Midlands) with rail facilities at Gazeley, Barham, Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds. 2.3. Marine dredged and marine borne aggregates are mainly imported via Ipswich docks. Wharf space is also available at Lowestoft although no material is currently being imported through this port. 2.4. Figure 1, below shows a simplified geological map of Suffolk showing the main aggregates resource areas. Traditionally sand and gravel has been extracted from the Gipping, Lark, Blyth and Waveney river valleys and to the east of Ipswich. As these river valleys (terrace deposits) have been worked through, more recently, workings have opened up in areas exploiting more extensive glacial sands and gravels. 2.5. Large parts of Suffolk are covered by international, national, regional and local environmental designations. In particular, large parts of the coast are within the Suffolk Coast & Heaths or Dedham Vale Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and large parts of the east and west of the County are designated as Special Protection Areas or Special Areas of Conservation. 2.6. Proposals for mineral working in these areas will need to have regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and the Development Plan. Figure 2 shows the main statutory environmental designations within Suffolk. Page 6 Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016 FIGURE 1: Simplified geological map of Suffolk Page 7 Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016 FIGURE 2: National environmental designations in Suffolk Page 8 Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016 3. Sales of sand and gravel 1995 – 2015 3.1. Sales figures for the period 1995 – 2015 are set out in graphical form in Figure 3 below. It is noted that sales still have not recovered to pre-recession levels that existed prior to 2008. Table 1 breaks down the sales into end use for 2014. FIGURE 3: Annual sales of sand & gravel in Suffolk 1995 – 2015 Annual sales of sand and gravel in Suffolk 1995 - 2015 2 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 sales sales million tonnes 0.4 0.2 0 Year Sources: Suffolk Annual Monitoring. TABLE 1: Sales of sand & gravel in Suffolk by end use 2014 (Thousand Tonnes) Sand Gravel Other Total Marine Total sand & dredged Land Building sand Concreting gravel won sand for fill For For For Concrete Other asphalt use in asphalt aggregates screened mortar & graded gravels - 141 386 - 204 185 - 1000 84 916 Sources: 1) Business Monitor PA1007 “Mineral extraction in Great Britain 2014” published by DCLG March 2016. Note: Figures include marine dredged material, and; 2) Marine Aggregates, The Crown Estates Licences, Summary of Statistics 2014. Page 9 Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016 4. Comparison of sales with apportionments 4.1. As part of the Managed Aggregate Supply System and its engagement through the aggregate working parities, each MPA has been required to plan for an apportionment of mineral extraction. The apportionment figure, which has been agreed through the Aggregates Working Party, has changed over time in line with national guidelines for aggregates provision. 4.2. Although Suffolk County Council has always planned to meet its apportionment, actual sales have never exceeded the apportionment. Set out graphically below in Figure 4 are the actual sales figures for Suffolk since 1995 and the respective agreed apportionment.