Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment Consultation Draft

AUGUST 2 0 1 6 Consultation Draft 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 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. Quarry, with permission from Allen Newport Ltd.

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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

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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

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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

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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 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.

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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 , Barham, Ipswich and .

2.3. Marine dredged and marine borne aggregates are mainly imported via Ipswich docks. Wharf space is also available at 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.

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Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016

FIGURE 1: Simplified geological map of Suffolk

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Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016

FIGURE 2: National environmental designations in Suffolk

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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.

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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.

4.3. The Adopted Site Allocations Development Plan Document makes provision for this level of supply by allocating sufficient sites which, when added to permitted reserves, ensures adequate supply of aggregates over the plan period.

4.4. Since adoption of the Core Strategy, the national guidelines have been slightly revised and the required apportionment for Suffolk has been reduced slightly to 1.62 mts per annum.

FIGURE 4: Sales and apportionment 1995 – 2015

Sales & apportionment 1995 - 2015 3

2.5

2

1.5

tonnes 1

0.5

0 Sales Sales andApportionment 1995 -2015, million

Year

Source: Suffolk County Council Annual Monitoring Report, 1 April 2014 – 31 March 2015.

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5. Location of current sand and gravel workings in Suffolk

5.1. There are currently 18 sand & gravel workings in Suffolk. Of these 14 are active: 5 are inactive i.e. they are not currently being worked but could recommence operations without the need for any further development consent. There are no dormant aggregate sites in Suffolk i.e. sites which would need further development consents to recommence operations. The locations of current sand & gravel workings in Suffolk are shown in Figure 5 and in tabular form in Table 2.

TABLE 2: Location of primary aggregates sites in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015

Site Site Name Location Current Operator Number 1 Cavenham Quarry Cavenham Allen Newport Ltd

2 Shrubland Quarry Coddenham Brett Aggregates Ltd

3 Sandy Lane Quarry Barham Brett Aggregates Ltd

4 Rands Hall Pit Layham Brett Aggregates Ltd

5 Tattingstone Pit Bentley Shotley Holdings Ltd

6 Waldringfield Quarry Waldringfield Brett Aggregates Ltd

7 Wenhaston Pit Wenhaston Bardo (Midlands) Ltd

8 Wangford Quarry Wangford Cemex UK Ltd

9 Henham Quarry Henham The Lyndon Pallet Group

10 Flixton Quarry Flixton Cemex UK Ltd

11 Worlington Quarry Worlington Frimstone Ltd

12 Pannington Hall Wherstead Brett Aggregates Ltd Quarry 13 Gallows Hill Quarry Barking Lafarge Tarmac

14 Blood Hill Quarry Bramford J. T. Few Ltd

15 Redhouse Farm Bucklesham Lafarge Tarmac Quarry 16 Peyton Hall Quarry Hadleigh Buffalo Crow Ltd

17 Lawn Farm Quarry Wetherden Aggmax Ltd

18 North Farm Barnham -

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FIGURE 5: Map of current sand & gravel workings in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015

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6. Suffolk’s landbank of permitted mineral reserves

6.1. The NPPF states that MPA’s should use “land banks of aggregate mineral reserves principally as an indicator of the security of supply of aggregate minerals supply, and to indicate the additional provision that needs to be made for new aggregate extraction and alternative supplies in minerals plans” (paragraph 145).

6.2. It recommends, “…making provision for the maintenance of land banks of at least 7 years for sand & gravel and at least 10 years for crushed rock whilst ensuring that the capacity of operations to supply a wide range of materials is not compromised……”

6.3. Suffolk contains no hard rock mineral resources and therefore only seeks to maintain a landbank for sand & gravel.

6.4. Suffolk’s land bank of permitted mineral reserves as at 31 December 2014

6.5. At 31 December 2014, there were 13.2 million tonnes (mts) of permitted reserves in Suffolk. This is equivalent to 8.1 years annual production based on the most recent apportionment of 1.62 mts per annum.

6.6. For comparison purposes, Table 3 below shows the current land bank based on.

a) The apportionment contained in the current Minerals Core Strategy (1.73 mts) b) The revised apportionment based on the latest national guidelines for aggregate provision (1.62 mts) c) Actual average annual sales over the past 10 years (1.39 mts). d) Actual average sales over the past 3 year (1.067 mts)

Table 3: Sand & gravel land bank in Suffolk based on various output scenario as at 31 December 2014

Permitted Output Landbank Method of assessing current landbank reserves as at (MTs) (years) 31/12/2014 Apportionment as set out in existing 1.73 13.2 7.6 Minerals Core Strategy

Revised apportionment based on latest 1.62 13.2 8.1 national guidelines for aggregates provision

Average annual sales over past 10 years 1.39 13.2 9.5

Average annual sales over past 3 years 1.046 13.2 12.6

Source: Suffolk County Council Annual Monitoring

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6.7. Suffolk’s land bank of permitted mineral reserves as at 31 December 2015

6.8. At 31 December 2015, there were 13.2 million tonnes (mts) of permitted reserves in Suffolk. This is equivalent to 8.1 years annual production based on the most recent apportionment of 1.62 mts per annum .

6.9. For comparison purposes, Table 4 below shows the current land bank based on.

a) The apportionment contained in the current Minerals Core Strategy (1.73 mts) b) The revised apportionment based on the latest national guidelines for aggregate provision (1.62 mts) c) Actual average annual sales over the past 10 years (1.2 mts). d) Actual average sales over the past 3 year (0.98 mts)

Table 4: Sand & gravel land bank in Suffolk based on various output scenarios as at 31 December 2015

Permitted Output Landbank Method of assessing current landbank reserves as at (MTs) (years) 31/12/2015 Apportionment as set out in existing 1.73 13.2 7.6 Minerals Core Strategy

Revised apportionment based on latest 1.62 13.2 8.1 national guidelines for aggregates provision

Average annual sales over past 10 years 1.2 13.2 11.0

Average annual sales over past 3 years 0.98 13.2 13.5

Source: Suffolk County Council Annual Monitoring

6.10. When measured against any of the output scenario above Suffolk currently has sufficient permitted reserves of sand & gravel to maintain a seven years land bank.

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7. Imports & exports from 2014 collation

7.1. Suffolk is a relatively large county and is relatively remote from large centres of population and hence from areas of large demand for aggregates. Sand & gravel is a high bulk, low value commodity and, generally, it is not transported far by road because transport costs become disproportionately large.

7.2. However, Suffolk does import and export sand and gravel. The most recent data on this has been taken from the 2014 British Geological Survey Collation of the 4-yearly Aggregates Monitoring Survey. This indicates that Suffolk exported sand & gravel to other parts of the Region and also imported sand & gravel from the region (and in very small quantities from outside the region). For commentary on hard rock and marine dredged imports see later sections.

7.3. This is not surprising. Firstly, many of Suffolk’s aggregate resources are relatively close to county boundaries e.g. the Waveney valley, the Gipping valley and the western end of the Lark valley. Similarly, some of Suffolk’s larger settlements are located at the periphery of the County where they will attract aggregate imports from other adjacent counties, e.g. Lowestoft, Newmarket, Brandon, Haverhill, Mildenhall, Sudbury and even Ipswich, which is relatively close to mineral working sites in north Essex.

7.4. In 2014, 50-60% of the sand & gravel consumed in Suffolk (915,000 tonnes) was produced in Suffolk (including marine dredged). Table 5 below shows the origin of the imported material as a percentage of the total consumption figure for sand and gravel.

Table 5: Origin and percentage of overall consumption of sand and gravel provided by imports to Suffolk in 2014

Administrative area of Proportion of sand and gravel Volume of sand & origin of sand & gravel consumed in Suffolk gravel imported to imports to Suffolk provided by imports Suffolk (Tonnes) Essex 10-20% 91,500-183,000 Norfolk 10-20% 91,500-183,000 Cambridgeshire 1-10% 9,150-91,500 Lincolnshire 1-10% 9,150-91,500 Peterborough <1% <9,150 Central Bedfordshire <1% <9,150 Milton Keynes <1% <9,150 Greater London East <1% <9,150 Leicestershire <1% <9,150

Source: British Geological Survey and “Collation of the results of the 2014 aggregate minerals survey for England & Wales” .

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7.5. Data for exports from Suffolk is not available in the detailed form for imports but gross data is available from the 2014 Collation and is set out in Table 6 below. In 2014, all of Suffolk’s exports where to other MPA’s within the East of England region.

Table 6: Quantity and destination of sand & gravel exports from Suffolk in 2014

Destination of sand & Proportion of sand and gravel Volume of sand & gravel gravel exports from consumed provided by imported from Suffolk Suffolk imports from Suffolk (Tonnes) Norfolk 1-10% 13,410 - 134,100 Cambridgeshire & 1-10% 20,630 - 206,300 Peterborough Hertfordshire 1-10% 11,460 – 114,600 Essex, Southend & <1% <43,290 Thurrock

Source: British Geological Survey and “Collation of the results of the 2014 aggregate minerals survey for England & Wales”.

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8. Crushed rock imports

8.1 Suffolk has no indigenous hard rock suitable for aggregate use. It therefore relies on importation of such materials. Most of this material is imported by rail. There are four rail heads within the County that can import crushed rock, located at Barham, west of Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds,Gazeley, situated to the east of Newmarket and West Bank Terminal, Ipswich, these are listed in Table 7 below.

Table 7: List of rail facilities capable of handling aggregates

Site Location Site Operating Company Number

1 Gazeley Gazeley Tarmac

2 Barham Broomfield Pit Tarmac

3 Bury St Edmunds Tayfen Road Tarmac

4 West Bank Terminal Ipswich Brett Aggregates Ltd

Figure 6 shows the location of existing railheads capable of handling aggregates.

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FIGURE 6: Map of existing rail heads capable of handling aggregates

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8.1. Information about volumes of material imported through these railheads is commercially confidential. However, the 2014 Annual Collation indicates that Suffolk imported 395,000 tonnes of crushed rock during that year.

8.2. Table 8 below shows the origin of this material by percentage.

Table 8: Quantity and origin of crushed rock imports to Suffolk in 2014

Administrative area of origin Proportion of total Volume of crushed rock of crushed rock imported to imports of crushed imported to Suffolk Suffolk rock to Suffolk (Tonnes)

Leicestershire 90-100% 355,500 – 395,000

Conwy 1-10% 3,950 – 39,500

Powys 1-10% 3,950 – 39,500

Cambridgeshire 1-10% 3,950 – 39,500

Norfolk <1% <3,950

Derbyshire <1% <3,950

Peak District National Park <1% <3,950

Shropshire <1% <3,950

Northumberland National Park <1% <3,950

North Yorkshire <1% <3,950

North Somerset <1% <3,950

Somerset <1% <3,950

Source: British Geological Survey and “Collation of the results of the 2014 aggregate minerals survey for England & Wales”.

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9. Assessment of other potential sources of supply

9.1. Marine dredged and marine borne aggregates

9.2. Extensive resources of sand & gravel are to be found in the North Sea and Thames Estuary. These resources are mainly owned by the Crown Estate and extraction is licensed by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).

9.3. The East Inshore and East Offshore Marine Plans, which cover the area from the town of in the South to Flamborough Head in the North, from mean high water to the edge of UK territorial waters, came into force in April 2014. These Plans, which were produced by the Marine Management Organisation, are relevant to all bodies which make licencing or authorisation decisions affecting the marine area.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/312496/ east-plan.pdf

9.4. For an indication of the extent and quality of the mineral resources in the East Coast area see “The Mineral Resources of the east Inshore and East Offshore Marine Plan Areas, Southern North Sea” published by the BGS, 2011.

Source: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/507770/

9.5. The East Coast region has 13 production licences, operated by CEMEX UK Marine Ltd, Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd, Lafarge Tarmac Marine Ltd (Tarmac Marine Ltd as of August 2015) and Volker Dredging Ltd for both sand and gravel, principally for use in the construction industry.

9.6. More recently published material from the Crown Estate Commissioners indicates that in the calendar year 2015 the East Coast Dredging Area was licensed to permit removal of 9.2 million tonnes (8.47 million tonnes in 2014) of marine aggregates. Total removal for 2015 for the East Coast was 4.4 million tonnes (4.72 million tonnes in 2014). However only 119,421 tonnes of this was landed on the east coast, all of which was recorded by the Crown Estates as being landed at Ipswich.

Source: Marine Aggregates, The Crown Estate Licences, Summary of Statistics 2015. http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/media/502184/ei-marine-aggregate-statistics- 2015.pdf

9.7. Most of the material removed from the East Coast Dredging Area is either exported to the near continent or taken to the Thames Estuary to serve Greater .

9.8. There are wharves in Ipswich and Lowestoft, which have the capacity to handle marine dredged (and marine borne) aggregate. Currently marine dredged aggregate and marine borne material can be handled at Ipswich at the West Bank terminal on Ipswich Docks with provision for marine borne material to be landed on the East Bank alongside a recently constructed asphalt plant. These are listed in Table 9 below.

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Table 9: List of wharves capable of handling marine dredged and marine borne aggregate

Site Location Site Operator or owner Number Brett Aggregates and Port Authority 1 Ipswich West Bank Terminal

Tarmac and Port Authority 2 Ipswich East Bank Terminal

North Quay and Hamilton 3 Lowestoft Port Authority Dock

9.9. A map showing the location of wharves in Suffolk is shown in Figure 7 below. The Minerals Core Strategy contains a policy which seeks to safeguard wharves which are capable of receiving marine dredged or marine borne aggregates (Policy 5).

9.10. Despite the large marine aggregate resources present off the coast of Suffolk and the fact that Suffolk has facilities to land such material it is not County Council policy to seek to increase reliance on marine dredged aggregates in order to reduce the amount of land won aggregate it should make provision for.

9.11. The decision whether or not to import marine dredged aggregate into Suffolk is primarily one for the market to determine. By definition, marine won aggregates can be transported greater distances and in greater quantities than road borne material and the destination of this material can be more readily changed to respond to market opportunities. Given the relatively small amount of marine dredged aggregate currently landed in Suffolk and the even smaller amount of such material that is consumed in the County it is not considered appropriate to seek to rely more heavily on marine dredge or borne aggregate in the future.

9.12. There is a number of nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIP) planned for Suffolk including the possibility of construction of twin nuclear reactors at Sizewell. The County Council will seek to maximise the potential for the use of marine dredged and sea borne aggregate for the construction of this development.

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FIGURE 7: Map of wharves handling marine dredged and/or marine borne aggregates

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9.13. Recycled and secondary aggregates

9.14. The NPPF indicates that in preparing Local Plans, local planning authorities should

“so far as practicable, take account of the contribution that substitute or secondary and recycled materials and minerals waste would make to the supply of materials, before considering extraction of primary materials, whilst aiming to source minerals supplies indigenously;”

9.15. The Energy from Waste plant at Great Blakenham to handles all of Suffolk’s residual municipal waste and an element of residual Commercial & Industrial waste. A by-product of this process is bottom ash, which is destined for use as aggregate. The capacity of the EfW plant is 269,000 tonnes, which is estimated to produce around 60,000 tonnes of bottom ash per annum.

9.16. There are a number of permitted aggregates recycling facilities in Suffolk. These are mainly located on existing mineral sites. A number of waste recycling or waste transfer stations also generate quantities of recycled aggregates.

9.17. Table 10 below identifies permitted aggregate recycling facilities in Suffolk. The location of these sites is shown on Figure 8.

9.18. In addition to these sites, there are a number of mobile operators who provide crushing and screening equipment on development sites. It has not proved possible to obtain reliable statistics about the volume of recycled aggregates that are obtained from these mobile plants, especially as much of the material generated is re used in situ.

9.19. The scale of such activity will reflect the level of general construction activity (although from time to time there will be major demolition projects coming forward which will significantly enhance the volume of recycled material produced. This was the case a few years ago when major development took place on the Ipswich waterfront).

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FIGURE 8: Map of recycled aggregate handling facilities

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TABLE 10: List of recycled aggregates sites in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015 Site Site name Location Current Operator Number 1 Broomfield Pit Barham Tarmac

2 Blood Hill Quarry Bramford J.T Few Ltd

3 Marston’s Pit Cavenham Middleton Aggregates

4 Chilton Grove Works Chilton Wiles Construction Ltd

5 Chilton Airfield Chilton T K Weavers Ltd

6 Shrubland Quarry Coddenham Brett Aggregates Ltd

7 Balloon Barn Farm Culford Waste

8 Ticehurst Farm Drinkstone Ticehurst Gravels Ltd Benacre Road Transfer 9 Ellough Regional Waste Recycling Station 10 Ellough Industrial Estate Ellough S J Lake

11 Airfield Industrial Estate Eye Anglian Skips Ltd

12 Park Farm Quarry Flixton Cemex UK Ltd

13 Hollow Road Farm Shotley Holdings

14 Hollow Road Farm Fornham St Martin Steve Lumley Planings Ltd Gisleham Pipe & Brick 15 Gisleham E E Green & Son Ltd Works 16 Maltings Farm Great Blakenham J T Few Ltd Holywell Row, 17 Wildmere Lane A & S Topsoils Ltd Mildenhall 18 The Folly Quarry Ingham T.J & W. M. Cardy

19 Causeway Tip Sutton Services

20 Harpers Hill Farm Nayland T D & A M Bugg

21 Valley Farm Pit Sproughton SBS Spares

22 Folly Farm Tattingstone Shotley Holdings Ltd

23 Sheepdrift Farm Quarry Waldringfield Brett Aggregates Ltd

24 Summer Road Depot Walsham Le Willows R & D Construction

25 Bay Farm Quarry Worlington Frimstone Ltd

26 Gazeley Depot Gazeley (Higham) Tarmac

27 Gt Blakenham Gt Blakenham Brett Aggregates Ltd

28 Sinks Pit Little Bealings Tippers `R` Us

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9.20. The Competition Commission has recently (January 2014) published its Investigation into the Aggregates, Cement & Ready Mix Concrete market. The Competition Commission reported in its summary of hearing with the Minerals Product Association (MPA) that the MPA considered “New sources of supply included the development of the recycled and secondary market which currently accounted for 30 per cent of the market. However, apart from gradual efforts to upgrade the quality of recycled products there were unlikely to be material changes in the supply chain as it was considered that most potential recycled and secondary materials were already in the market”.

9.21. In the Competition Commissions summary of hearing with the British Aggregates Association (BAA) it was stated that “The BAA considered that the substitutability of aggregates was very limited because of the small number of projects where substitutability was feasible. Recycled aggregates would never be likely to make up more than around 30 per cent of the market”.

9.22. Similar figures were suggested by the major aggregates producers. Tarmac in its statement to the Competition Commission provided data which suggested that recycled & secondary aggregates constituted a higher proportion of use in general construction (47% 2008-2010 average) compared with Ready Mixed Concrete, concrete products or asphalt where recycled & secondary aggregates provided 6%, 13% and 17% respectively.

9.23. Notwithstanding the important role that recycled and secondary aggregates can play in reducing demand for the use of virgin land won aggregate, the County Council does not consider that it would be appropriate to plan for a significant increase in the volume of secondary aggregate. This would depend on the scale of new development, the degree to which this involves demolition and the scope for recycling such materials. The County Council will encourage the recycling of aggregates and where possible insitu reuse. The County Council will also provide a positive planning framework for recycling facilities to come on stream, where appropriate

9.24. Suffolk County Council does not therefore consider that there is a case for reducing the level of land won aggregates for which it needs to make provision by planning for an increase in the contribution recycling activity may make to overall aggregate provision in Suffolk.

9.25. Asphalt and concrete batching plants

9.26. The County has a number of both asphalt and concrete batching plants. These facilities are a user and, in terms of the end product is a supplier of aggregate. A number of these plants are co-located within quarries or at rail heads/wharves. The facilities are distributed around the county serving both the main conurbations and in many places where located on the county boundary to neighbouring County markets. Figure 9 and Tables 11 and 12 identify the location of the asphalt and concrete batching plants as of 31 st December 2015.

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FIGURE 9: Map of asphalt and concrete batching plants in Suffolk

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Table 11: Asphalt batching plant facilities in Suffolk

Site Number Site Operating Company Location

1 Flixton Park Tarmac

Higham, 2 Higham Rail Depot Tarmac Newmarket

Cemex UK Materials (asphalt Main Road, 3 Sinks Pit (Site inactive) & macadam) Ltd , Ipswich Power Station 4 Ipswich East Bank Tarmac Quay, Cliff Quay, Ipswich Ringway Roadstone Ltd t/a Foxhall Road, 5 Foxhall landfill site Eurovia Ipswich

Old 6 Cavenham Quarry Hope Aggregates Airfield, Cavenham

Ellough Industrial 7 Enstone Johnstone Sandpits Lane Estate (Site mothballed)

8 Broomfield Pit Tarmac Barham

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Table 12: List of concrete batching plants in Suffolk

Site Operating Site Location Number Company 1 Meekings Road, Sudbury Cemex UK Ltd Sudbury Plant, Theberton 2 Cemex UK Ltd Saxmundham/ airfield 3 Flixton Plant Cemex UK Ltd Flixton, Bungay Hadleigh Road Industrial Estate, 4 Euromix Ipswich Arkwright Road, Ipswich 5 Business Park Eastern Counties Stowmarket

6 Fornham Park Eastern Counties Fornham St Martin

7 Bury St Edmunds Eastern Counties Bury St Edmunds Block works, Sproughton Road 8 Hanson Concrete Ipswich Ipswich 9 Bay Farm Quarry Hanson Concrete Worlington

10 Road, Haverhill Hanson Concrete Haverhill

11 Portman Walk, Ipswich Cemex UK Ltd Ipswich

12 Hill Road, Cemex UK Ltd Beccles

13 Sheepdrift Farm Quarry Brett Aggregates Waldringfield, Ipswich

14 Shrubland Quarry Brett Aggregates Coddenham, Ipswich

15 Bath Hills Road, Bungay Bungay

16 Sinks Pit Cemex UK Ltd Kesgrave, Ipswich

17 Pesthouse Lane, Barham Tarmac Barham, Ipswich

18 Fornham Park Allen Newport Ltd Fornham Park Power Station Quay, 19 Ipswich East Bank Tarmac Cliff Quay, Ipswich

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10. Looking to the future

10.1. At Suffolk County Council, the Cabinet has agreed to update the existing minerals and waste development plan documents by combining them into a single Suffolk Minerals & Waste Local Plan.

10.2. To inform the plan making process, this LAA includes below an assessment of the current planned provision for aggregates including both permitted reserves and the resources contained within existing allocated sites.

10.3. Tables 13 and 14 below identify those sites allocated within the Minerals Specific Site Allocation DPD for Suffolk for which planning permission had not been granted (as at 31 December 2014 and 2015). It also indicates the estimated reserves that these sites may contain. 10.4. In addition, there would be a need to review existing allocations to consider whether they remain deliverable.

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TABLE 13: Sites allocated (allocated reserves) 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

DPD Site Site Name Estimated Tonnage ref: (million tonnes, mt) 4 Layham 0.8 5A, 5B Barham 0.6 6 Chilton Estate Sudbury 1.0 12, 12A Timworth 2.5 16 Homersfield/Flixton 0.856 19 Worlington Quarry/Red Lodge 0.09 20 Worlington Quarry/Red Lodge 0.18 23 Cavenham Quarry (western extension) 0.88 Total All Sites 6.90

Source: Suffolk Minerals Specific Site Allocation Development Plan Document Adopted September 2009.

TABLE 14: Sites allocated (allocated reserves) 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

DPD Site Site Name Estimated Tonnage ref: (million tonnes, mt) 4 Layham 0.8 5A, 5B Barham 0.6 6 Chilton Estate Sudbury 1.0 12, 12A Timworth 2.5 19 Worlington Quarry/Red Lodge 0.09 20 Worlington Quarry/Red Lodge 0.18 23 Cavenham Quarry (western extension) 0.88 Total All Sites 6.05

Source: Suffolk Minerals Specific Site Allocation Development Plan Document Adopted September 2009.

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10.5. Tables 15 and 16 below compare the planned provision (i.e. permitted reserves and reserves contained within sites allocated in the Minerals Specific Site Allocation DPD) against both the current apportionment of 1.62 mts and the 10-year average sales figures to obtain a planned provision land bank for 2014 and 2015.

10.6. The total of permitted and allocated reserves as of the end of 2014 was 20.11 mts (see table 16 below). Using the sub-regional apportionment figure of 1.62 mts per annum, these reserves are sufficient for 12.4 years (until late 2026). Even in the worst case scenario, using the current apportionment of 1.62 mts per annum, the Suffolk Minerals & Waste Local Plan will be in place by 2018, so that the provision of sand and gravel will be replenished to help maintain the landbank of permitted reserves at the minimum 7 year level.

10.7. The total of permitted and allocated reserves as of the end of 2015 was 19.23 mts (see table below 17). Using the sub-regional apportionment figure of 1.62 mts per annum, these reserves are sufficient for 11.8 years (until late 2026). Once again, even in the worst case scenario, using the current apportionment of 1.62 mts per annum, the Suffolk Minerals & Waste Local Plan will be in place by 2018, so that the provision of sand and gravel will be replenished to help maintain the landbank of permitted reserves at the minimum 7 year level.

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TABLE 15: Comparison of planned provision against current apportionment and 10 year average sales as of 31 December 2014

Year provision Total Date current Permitted Allocated Number of 7 year planned planned Assumed reserves reserves of years land provision provision sales as at as at planned banks as at would be 31/12/2014 31/12/2014 provision expires 31/12/2014 exhausted

Current 6.9 mts 20.1 mts 12.4 2026 2019 Apportionment 13.2 mts

of 1.62 mts

10 year 6.9 mts 20.1 mts 14.5 2028 2021 average sales 13.2 mts

of 1.39 mts

TABLE 16: Comparison of planned provision against current apportionment and 10 year average sales as of 31 December 2015

Year provision Total Date current Permitted Allocated Number of 7 year planned planned Assumed reserves reserves of years land provision provision sales as at as at planned banks as at would be 31/12/2015 31/12/2015 provision expires 31/12/2015 exhausted

Current 6.04 mts Apportionment 13.19 mts 19.23 mts 11.8 2025 2018

of 1.62 mts

10 year 6.04 mts average sales 13.19 mts 19.23 mts 16.02 2030 2023

of 1.2 mts

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Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016

10.8. The current appointment figure is based upon the revised national guidelines that cover the period to 2020. At the time of writing, the National Co-ordinating Group is not scheduled to meet in the foreseeable future. Therefore in the likely absence of updated guidelines emerging, the default position is for the provision for sand and gravel in the proposed Suffolk Minerals & Waste Local Plan would be based upon a ten year rolling average, see tables 17 and 18 below. The base date of the plan would be the 31 December 2016 and the rolling average at that date would be used as a basis for the plan submitted to the Secretary of State.

TABLE 17: Provision of sand and gravel to 2036 based on the 10 year average sales as of 31 December 2014

Assumed Permitted Allocated Total Number Date Unalloc ated Unalloc ated Sales reserves reserves planned of years current provision provision as at as at provision planned planned needed up needed up 31/12/2014 31/12/2014 as at provision provision to 2036 to 2036 plan 31/12/2014 would be plan period period exhausted (years) (mts)

10 year 13.2 mts 6.9 mts 20.1 mts 14.5 202 8 7.5 years 10 .42 mts average sales of 1.39 mts (20.1 mts / (1.39 mts x 1.39 mts) 7.5)

Source: Aggregate Monitoring Surveys

TABLE 18: Comparison of planned provision against current apportionment and 10 year average sales as of 31 December 2015

Assumed Permitted Allocated Total Number Date Unallocated Unalloc ated sales reserves reserves planned of years current provision provision as at as at provision planned planned needed up needed up 31/12/2015 31/12/2015 as at provision provision to 2036 to 2036 plan 31/12/2015 would be plan period period exhausted (years) (mts)

10 year 13.19 mts 6.05 mts 19.24 mts 16.03 203 1 5 years 6.00 mts average sales of 1.2 mts (19.24 mts (1.2 mts x 5) / 1.2 mts)

Source: Aggregate Monitoring Surveys

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Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016

10.9. Figure 10 below shows sales and apportionments for the period 1995-2015 and the 10-year average sales figure. Sales have never exceeded the apportionment over the years in question and have been below the 10 year rolling average since 2009.

FIGURE 10: Sales, Apportionment and 10-year average sales for Suffolk 1995 - 2015

Source: Suffolk County Council Annual Monitoring

10.10. The County Council has considered whether there are any major developments or infrastructure projects that might indicate that either the 10 year average sales or the current apportionment might represent an under provision such that a larger amount of sand & gravel extraction should be planned for.

10.11. Set out below in Table 19 are figures relating to housing trajectories taken from district & borough council Core Strategies. These suggest that overall there is a 10.9% increase in the annual average number of planned housing completions, over that previously provided for in the former East of England plan which provided the basis for the apportionment figures, and which had a plan period running from 2001 to 2021.

10.12. Table 20 sets out figures relating to housing completions that shows that overall the actual average annual completions are 28.5% lower that the local plans figures and 20.7% lower than the former East of England Plan projections. If the sub-regional apportionment figure of 1.62mt was reduced by 20.7% this would give a figure of 1.28mt per annum which is only 6.2% higher that the ten year average of sand and gravel sales of 1.2mt.

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Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016

TABLE 19: Housing trajectories

Former Regional Variation from District/ Plan Housing Annual Regional Annual Regional Borough period units Average figure Average figure Annual increase from Babergh 6000 300 5600 280 2011-2031 280 to 300 Annual increase from Forest Heath 7,000 350 6400 320 2011-2031 320 to 350 Annual increase from Ipswich 18,200 1071 15400 770 2010-2027 770 to 824 Annual increase from 6,500 433 8300 415 2012-2027 415 to 500 Annual increase from SEBC 15,400 513 10000 500 2001-2031 500 to 513 Suffolk Annual decrease from 7,900 465 10200 510 Coastal 2010-2027 510 to 465

Waveney 6,960 290 5800 290 No annual change 2001-2025

Total 67,960 3,422 61700 3,085

Source: Suffolk County Council.

TABLE 20: Housing completions

Percentage Percentage Actual Annual of annual of former annual District/ Completions since start Completion Plan Regional Borough of Plan to Averages figure figure 2015

Babergh 941 235 78.3% 83.9%

Forest Heath 1,123 281 80.2% 87.8

Ipswich 7,980 570 53.2% 74.0%

Mid Suffolk 1,278 426 98.3% 102.6%

SEBC 4,936 353 68.8% 70.6%

Suffolk 1,452 290 62.3% 56.8% Coastal

Waveney 4,114 294 101.3% 101.3%

Total 21,824 2,449 71.5% 79.3%

Source: Suffolk County Council.

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10.13. There are some major transport infrastructure proposals planned but these are unlikely to generate sufficient demand for aggregates to warrant an increase in the apportionment. Road schemes planned include new bridges in Ipswich and Lowestoft.

10.14. There are also a number of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects planned for Suffolk including the A14 road improvements and a number of projects relating to the upgrading and provision of electricity power lines. These are likely to require some relatively small quantities of aggregate provision.

10.15. The most significant possible NSIP is the construction of new nuclear power stations at Sizewell (and the associated development). However, no application has been submitted for this and the timescale for construction is uncertain even if consent is forthcoming. The implications of this development will be kept under review in future LAAs.

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Consultation Draft Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment August 2016

11 Conclusions

11.1 Suffolk currently has sufficient permitted reserves of sand & gravel to maintain at least a seven-year land bank as required by the National Planning Policy Framework and the Suffolk Minerals Core Strategy.

11.2 The proposed Suffolk Minerals & Waste Local Plan is intended to have an end date of 2036 and additional land won sand & gravel resources will need to be identified. In the absence of updated national guidelines for aggregates provision, the provision in the plan will be based on a ten year average of past sales with a base date of 31 December 2016. Reference to past sales indicates that the sub-regional apportionment has never been exceeded and that sales have been lower than the ten year average since 2009.

11.3 Suffolk does not currently consider that it would be appropriate to plan for an increased proportion of aggregate demand to be provided by marine dredged aggregate. This reflects the difficulty in relying on supply where marine dredged material can be diverted relatively easily to other markets and where demand for marine dredged materials in other markets such as London remains high. Suffolk will continue to safeguard wharves which are capable of receiving marine dredged and marine borne aggregates in line with its existing policy.

11.4 Fully accurate statistics for recycled aggregates are difficult to obtain. Suffolk will promote and encourage the use of recycled aggregates for example by imposing conditions on its own developments to ensure that demolition materials are reused wherever possible and will provide a positive planning framework for dealing with applications for aggregate recycling facilities, where appropriate

11.5 However, Suffolk does not consider that it should seek to place more reliance on recycled or secondary aggregates to meet its aggregates provision, partly because the volumes potentially available in Suffolk are likely to be relatively low and constant, and are heavily dependent on the level of the construction activity.

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