Restoration and Tipping Strategy for the St Austell China Clay Area
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Information Classification: PUBLIC Restoration and Tipping Strategy for the St Austell China Clay area Supplementary Planning Document Draft March 2021 Planning & Sustainable Development Information Classification: PUBLIC Cornwall Council commissioned Wardell Armstrong LLP to undertake a review of the adopted Tipping and Restoration Strategy for the St Austell China Clay area. This draft Supplementary Planning Document is based on the final report prepared by Wardell Armstrong LPP and the Council would like to thank the consultants for their work in undertaking this review. This report has been prepared by Wardell Armstrong LLP with all reasonable skill, care and diligence, within the terms of the Contract with the Client. The report is confidential to the Client and Wardell Armstrong LLP accepts no responsibility of whatever nature to third parties to whom this report may be made known. No part of this document may be reproduced without the prior written approval of Wardell Armstrong LLP. PREPARED BY: Simon Williams Environmental Scientist & GIS Specialist David Gray Principal Landscape Architect Helen Simpson Associate Director APPROVED BY: David Brignall Director St Austell China Clay Restoration & Tipping Strategy Supplementary Planning Document DRAFT 2 March 2021 Information Classification: PUBLIC Contents 1 Supplementary Planning Document 8 2 Executive Summary 9 3 Introduction 12 3.1 Geology of China Clay 12 3.2 The Hensbarrow China Clay Area 12 3.3 Planning History 12 3.4 Current Levels of China Clay Production 13 3.5 Policy Context 14 3.5.1 Cornwall Local Plan 14 3.5.2 Tipping & Restoration Strategy, 2000 14 3.6 Current China Clay Operations 15 3.6.1 Operators 17 3.6.2 Other Development 17 3.7 Project Brief – Review of the Tipping and Restoration Strategy, 2000 18 3.7.1 Scope of the Review of the TRS, 2000 18 4 Review of Restoration Strategy 20 4.1 Methodology and Approach in this Draft SPD 20 4.1.1 Restoration and Aftercare (Review of Fees Monitoring process) 21 4.2 Current Method of Working in Fal and Karslake Operational Areas 30 4.2.1 Estimate of Land Cover by Operational Area 32 5 Restoration Techniques for Fal and Karslake Operational Areas 33 5.1 Introduction 33 5.2 Fal (OA1) 33 5.2.1 Assessment of Current Land Cover – Fraddon, Pines and Melbur Tips 34 5.2.2 Assessment of Current Land Cover - Scarcewater 35 5.2.3 Assessment of Current Land Cover – Gaverigan 38 5.3 Karslake (OA12) 38 5.3.1 Assessment of Current Land Cover – Dorothy, Littlejohns, Carrancarrow and Dubbers 38 5.3.2 Assessment of Current Land Cover - Dubbers 40 5.3.3 Effectiveness of Restoration using Soil Forming Materials (SFM) 41 5.3.4 Assessment of Current Land Cover - Carrancarrow 42 5.4 Other Examples of Restoration Techniques in Cornwall 43 5.4.1 United Mines – Restoration of Former Landfill 43 5.4.2 Stannon Pit (China Clay) 43 5.4.3 Park Pit (China Clay) 44 6 Current Landscape and Visual Analysis by District 46 6.1 Introduction 46 6.2 Methodology 47 6.3 Landscape Character and Heritage Evidence Base 48 6.4 Fal District 48 St Austell China Clay Restoration & Tipping Strategy Supplementary Planning Document DRAFT 3 March 2021 Information Classification: PUBLIC 6.4.1 Recommendations of the TRS 2000 and Current Status and Condition 49 6.5 Goonvean District 54 6.5.1 Recommendations of the TRS 2000 and Current Status and Conditions 54 6.6 Blackpool District 57 6.6.1 Recommendations of the TRS, 2000 and Current Status and Condition 57 6.7 Karslake District 60 6.7.1 Recommendations of the TRS, 2000 and Current Status and Condition 60 6.8 Carthew District 64 6.8.1 Recommendations of the TRS, 2000 and Current Status and Condition 65 6.9 Eastern District 68 6.9.1 Recommendations of the TRS, 2000 and Current Status and Condition 68 7 Rights of Way 70 7.1 Current Public Rights of Way (PRoW) and Permissive Path Network 70 7.2 Opportunities for Increasing the PRoW and Permissive Path Network 72 7.2.1 Potential Strategic Links 72 7.2.2 Other Opportunities 73 Restoration and Tipping - Future Approach and Strategy 75 8 Landform and Restoration Objectives 75 8.1 Future Requirements for Tipping 75 8.2 Post Restoration Uses 75 8.3 Landform 76 8.4 Conservation and Long-term Management 77 8.4.1 Designated Sites 77 8.5 Soil Profile 78 8.5.1 Soil Forming Material 78 9 Tipping Strategy 80 9.1 Introduction 80 9.2 Fal Operational Area (OA1) 81 9.2.1 Melbur and Virginia Pits 81 9.2.2 Scarcewater Tip 82 9.2.3 Gaverigan Tip 82 9.3 Karslake Operational Area (OA12) 82 9.4 Hendra Operational Area (OA9) 83 9.5 Trelavour Operational Area (OA4A) 83 9.6 Goonvean Operational Area (OA4C) and Treviscoe Operational Area (OA3) 83 9.7 Rocks Operational Area (OA25) 84 10 Restoration Strategy and Recommendations 84 10.1 Introduction 84 10.2 Overarching Recommendations 84 10.2.1 Restoration 84 10.2.2 Case Study 87 10.2.3 Aftercare of the Restored Areas of Dubbers and Dorothy 98 10.2.4 Aftercare 100 10.2.5 Tipping 101 10.2.6 Landscape and Visual 101 10.2.7 Secondary Aggregates 102 10.2.8 Historic Environment 103 St Austell China Clay Restoration & Tipping Strategy Supplementary Planning Document DRAFT 4 March 2021 Information Classification: PUBLIC 10.2.9 Public Access 104 10.2.10 The use of Soil Forming Material (SFM) in Restoration 104 10.3 Recommendations for Restoration and Aftercare Management for Selected Operational Areas 105 10.3.1 Fal Operational Area 107 10.3.2 Kernick Operational Area 116 10.3.3 Karslake Operational Area 119 10.3.4 Gilleys Operational Area 132 10.3.5 Hendra Operational Area 134 10.3.6 Prosper Operational Area 136 10.3.7 Goonbarrow Operational Area 140 10.3.8 Greensplatt Operational Area 145 10.3.9 Wheal Martyn Operational Area 149 10.3.10 Gunheath Operational Area 152 10.3.11 Rostowrack Operational Area 158 10.3.12 Goonvean Operational Area 163 10.3.13 Blackpool Operational Area 168 10.3.14 Trelavour Operational Area 172 10.3.15 Treviscoe Operational Area 175 10.3.16 Rocks Operational Area 178 11 Secondary Aggregates Potential 181 11.1 Introduction 181 11.2 The Use of China Clay Waste 181 11.3 The Secondary Aggregate tips included in the Assessment 181 11.4 Assessment Methodology 181 11.4.1 Screening Out 182 11.4.2 Criteria for Assessment 182 11.5 Weighting the criteria 191 11.6 Scoring Results 193 References 195 List of tables Table 1 Methodology .................................................................................................................. 20 Table 2: Tips without approved restoration plansa ..................................................................... 23 Table 3 Extract from Cornwall Council Fees Monitoring Report - landscape and restoration measures ..................................................................................................................................... 24 Table 4 Native Trees and Shrubs for Use in Hedgerow Enhancement ....................................... 89 Table 5: Herbaceous Plants Native to Cornwall for Planting in Hedgerows ............................... 89 Table 6: Heathland Plants suitable for the China Clay Area ........................................................ 92 Table 7: Typical Marginal Plants .................................................................................................. 93 Table 8: Grass Mix for Clay Based Soils ....................................................................................... 93 Table 9: Typical Grass Mix for Sand Based Soils .......................................................................... 94 Table 10: Native and Acid Tolerant Woodland Planting ............................................................. 95 Table 11: Maintenance Regime Carried Out on Annual Basis: General ...................................... 99 Table 12: Typical Maintenance Regime Undertaken for Year 1: Scrub and Hedgerow Planting 99 Table 13: Typical Maintenance Regime: Grass Seeded Areas ................................................... 100 Table 14 Impact on Archaeology and the Historic Environment .............................................. 182 St Austell China Clay Restoration & Tipping Strategy Supplementary Planning Document DRAFT 5 March 2021 Information Classification: PUBLIC Table 15 Describe the contribution which the existing tip makes to the landscape character of the area? ................................................................................................................................... 183 Table 16 What would be the significance to the local landscape character if the tip were to be removed or reprofiled? ............................................................................................................. 183 Table 17 What would be the visual significance if the tip were to be removed/reprofiled? ... 184 Table 18 Potential impact on the local landscape of tip removal or reprofiling....................... 184 Table 19 Potential visual impact of tip removal or reprofiling ................................................. 184 Table 20 Biodiversity and geodiversity impact ......................................................................... 185 Table 21 Impact on hydrology ................................................................................................... 186 Table 22 Number of sensitive receptors within 250m of the site*........................................... 186 Table 23 Number of sensitive receptors within 500m of the site*........................................... 187 Table 24 Rail Access (Distance) ................................................................................................