NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY Nether Langwith Quarry Planning
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NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY Nether Langwith Quarry Planning Application An application for Planning Permission to vary Planning Condition Nos. 1,77 and 85 of Planning Permission No. 1/64/96/2 to allow the continuation of the extraction and processing of limestone beyond 28th October 2017 at Nether Langwith Quarry November 2016 Tarmac Planning Application Supporting Statement Nether Langwith Quarry Contents Contents ................................................................................................................. 1 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 3 2 Site and its Surroundings .................................................................................. 3 3 Background to the Development ...................................................................... 4 4 Description of the Proposed Development ....................................................... 5 5 Assessment of Potentially Significant Environmental Effects ............................ 9 Figures Figure 1 – Site Location Plan Figure 2 – Outline Phasing Plan Figure 3 – Proposed Restoration Landform November 2016 Tarmac Planning Application Supporting Statement Nether Langwith Quarry November 2016 Tarmac Planning Application Supporting Statement Nether Langwith Quarry 1 Introduction 1.1.1 This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is based on an Environmental Statement (ES) that has been prepared on behalf of Tarmac by Heaton Planning Ltd and other specialist consultants and accompanies a Planning Application to vary the time constrained Planning Condition No. 85 of Planning Permission No. 1/64/96/2 along with Condition No.s 1 and 77 to allow for minor modifications to the approved phasing and restoration drawings and the retention of the quarry access road upon completion of mineral extraction operations. In preparing the NTS regard has been taken of the contents of Schedule 4 of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011. Consequently, the NTS looks at the main elements of the proposals that have a likely significant impact, either positively and/or negatively, on the environment and local residents. These main topic areas were established through consultation with Nottinghamshire County Council. 2 Site and its Surroundings 2.1.1 This Application does not propose any extension or intensification of activities that are already permitted under the extant Planning Permission for the site. An existing Planning Permission allows for mineral extraction at the quarry until 28th October 2017. Nether Langwith Quarry is an established limestone quarry; quarrying commenced on-site in 2001, in 2007 the quarry was mothballed. 2.1.2 The quarry itself is located within Mansfield District of Nottinghamshire, approximately 10 kilometres north of Mansfield and 8 kilometres south of Worksop, immediately south of the A632 Ollerton to Bolsover road. The location of the quarry is shown on the Location Plan below: November 2016 Tarmac Planning Application Supporting Statement Nether Langwith Quarry Figure 1 – Site Location Plan 2.1.3 Access to the site is gained from an existing access road which meets the public highway at Wood Lane. 2.1.4 The site lies within a rural area with surrounding land uses made up of arable and livestock farming and woodland. The quarry is bordered by woodland to the north, east and south, with open agricultural fields to the west. A disused mineral railway line runs parallel to the southern boundary of the quarry. As previously stated, this Application does not propose any extension to the quarry than already permitted. 3 Background to the Development 3.1.1 Planning Permission for the extraction of limestone was first granted at Nether Langwith Quarry in March 2000 and mineral extraction took place under that planning permission prior the mothballing of the site in 2007. The Planning Permission for the site (Ref. 1/64/96/2) provided for limestone extraction and site restoration. November 2016 Tarmac Planning Application Supporting Statement Nether Langwith Quarry 3.1.2 The proposed development consists of the extraction of 3.3 million tonnes over 17 years if saleable limestone working at an extraction rate of around 0.2 million tonnes per annum covering an area of approximately 26 hectares continues. 3.1.3 The Planning Permission for the site contains a Planning Condition that states mineral extraction at the quarry must cease by 28th October 2017. In order to work the remaining mineral unworked at the quarry, this Application proposes to extend the expiry date for extraction until the end of 2035 with a further two year period for final restoration up to the end of 2037. 3.1.4 The current application also seeks a revised working and restoration scheme for the site. The revised schemes are proposed to enhance the existing working and restoration plans and have been updated based on the results of years of groundwater monitoring at the quarry. 3.1.5 The third Planning Condition of the Planning Permission to the site which is proposed to be varied is allow for the retention of the access road which connects the quarry working area to the public highway at Wood Lane. The purpose of this is to allow for the use of the track for access to Cuckney Hay Wood and the ongoing woodland management. 3.1.6 Operations at Nether Langwith Quarry are proposed to continue in compliance with all other existing Planning Conditions of the current Planning Permission for the quarry. 4 Description of the Proposed Development 4.1.1 Over the proposed course of the lifetime of the quarry, it is anticipated that 3.3million tonnes of saleable limestone will be worked which would extend the life of the quarry through to 2035. Mineral is proposed to be worked in the same order of phasing as is currently permitted at the site, with progressive restoration following on from the extraction of limestone in each phase. The site as existing has been partially worked out. 4.1.2 It is proposed that mineral extraction will re-commence in the south east area of the site closest to the area which has previously been stripped of soils and worked out. Mineral extraction will then progress in a general clockwise direction, beginning in the far south of the site and working north easterly prior to the final phase of extraction November 2016 Tarmac Planning Application Supporting Statement Nether Langwith Quarry which will see the working of limestone in the area closest to the access road. A scheme of progressive restoration will be implemented at the site, which means each phase of mineral extraction will be immediately restored to appropriate after-uses. 4.1.3 The proposed phasing of mineral extraction is shown on the Phasing Plan below: Figure 2 – Outline Phasing Plan November 2016 Tarmac Planning Application Supporting Statement Nether Langwith Quarry 4.1.4 The operating hours of the proposed development will continue to be the same as those permitted for the existing quarrying operations. 0700 to 1900 Monday to Friday; and 0700 to 1300 Saturdays. There may be exceptional circumstances, including emergencies, when operations will have to be undertaken outside these hours. However, the planning authority will be informed of such occasions. 4.1.5 The site will be restored to a mix of agriculture, woodland, and areas of nature conservation to acceptable ground levels. The minor modifications to the restoration contours which are proposed in this Application are due to a greater understanding of the groundwater regime at the site, following years of monitoring. Only materials sourced on-site will be used for restoration purposes. The Restoration Plan for the site is shown on Figure 3 overleaf. November 2016 Tarmac Planning Application Supporting Statement Nether Langwith Quarry Figure 3 – Proposed Restoration Landform November 2016 Tarmac Planning Application Supporting Statement Nether Langwith Quarry 5 Assessment of Potentially Significant Environmental Effects 5.1.1 The following summarises the main topic areas that have been assessed in the preparation of the ES. The assessment of the topic areas has been undertaken by employing a wide range of independent specialist consultants. Full technical reports relating to the evaluation of the potential impacts have been prepared and form part of the ES. 5.2 Landscape and Visual Considerations 5.2.1 Overall, there are a limited number of visual receptors in the vicinity of Nether Langwith Quarry. Those that do exist consist of nearby farmsteads, and a limited number of public rights of way. The quarry as existing is largely screened from sight by the lie of the land and existing woodland. It should be re-iterated that this application does not proposed any extension to Nether Langwith Quarry or any increase in scale of operations. 5.2.2 The limited views into the site have been assessed by a specialist consultant who have analysed the potential visual impact of mineral operations on the locality. The quarry’s predominantly screened location behind vegetation results in greatly restricted long distance views into the site. 5.2.3 As well as local farm properties, users of public rights of way which run across and close to Nether Langwith Quarry will benefit from the retention of all public footpaths. As well as retaining all perimeter hedgerows, the mature hedgerow running parallel to the public right of way through the site will also be retained in order to ‘screen’ the site from public footpath users and provide a degree of vegetative