PROPOSED EXTENSION TO ALREWAS QUARRY 2014 Volume I Environmental Statement AGGREGATES AND ASPHALT LAFARGE TARMAC PLANNING APPLICATION FOR A SOUTHERN EXTENSION TO ALREWAS QUARRY WITH RESTORATION TO AGRICULTURE, AMENITY AND NATURE CONSERVATION BY IMPORTATION OF RESTORATION MATERIALS AT ALREWAS QUARRY STAFFORDSHIRE ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT PREPARED BY: DAVID L WALKER LIMITED MARCH 2014 Lafarge Tarmac Alrewas Quarry Environmental Statement Proposed Southern Extension CONTENTS Preface Section 1 Introduction 1.1 Aims of the Environmental Statement 1.2 Screening and Scoping 1.3 Assessment Requirements 1.4 The Applicant Company and Project Team 1.5 Key Facts Section 2 Site Location and Context 2.1 General 2.2 Geology 2.3 Landscape 2.4 Ecology 2.5 Hydrology and Hydrogeology 2.6 Soils and Agriculture 2.7 Traffic 2.8 Noise and Amenity 2.9 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 2.10 Rights of Way and Utilities Section 3 Working Scheme 3.1 General 3.2 Proposed Working Phases 3.3 Soils Handling, Management and Replacement 3.4 Importation of Restoration Materials 3.5 Dust Suppression 3.6 Other Issues 3.7 Employment Section 4 Design Statement and Restoration Concept 4.1 Objectives and Restoration Concept 4.2 Restoration Features 4.3 Aftercare Section 5 Environmental Considerations 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Landscape and Visual Impact 5.3 Soils and Agricultural Land Quality 5.4 Ecology 5.5 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 5.6 Hydrology and Hydrogeology 5.7 Noise 5.8 Traffic 5.9 Air Quality 5.10 Alternatives 5.11 Cumulative Impact and Interaction Effects Section 6 Summary and Conclusions Prepared by David L Walker Limited 2 March 2014 Lafarge Tarmac Alrewas Quarry Environmental Statement Proposed Southern Extension LIST OF PLANS A301/PL14/01 Location Plan A301/PL14/02 Site Plan A301/PL14/03 Working Plan A301/PL14/04 Concept Restoration Masterplan – Northern Area A301/PL14/05 Proposed Restoration Masterplan – Southern Area A301/PL14/06 Concept Restoration Plan Cross Sections <<<<<<<>>>>>>> LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1 Scoping Request March 2013 Appendix 2 Scoping Opinion dated 14 May 2013 Appendix 3 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (Bright & Associates dated March 2014) Appendix 4 Soils and Agricultural Land Classification (LRA dated March 2014) Appendix 5 Hydrological and Hydrogeological Impact Assessment (MJCA dated March 2014) Appendix 6 Cultural Heritage Assessment (Phoenix Consulting dated March 2014) Prepared by David L Walker Limited 3 March 2014 Lafarge Tarmac Alrewas Quarry Environmental Statement Proposed Southern Extension Appendix 7 (i) Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey (Pleydell Smithyman dated March 2014) (ii) Wintering Bird Survey 2011 (Middlemarch Environmental) (iii) Breeding Bird Survey 2011 (Middlemarch Environmental) (iv) Badger Survey 2011 (Middlemarch Environmental) (v) Initial Bat Survey 2011 (Middlemarch Environmental) (vi) Foraging Bat Survey 2011 (Middlemarch Environmental) (vii) Great Crested Newt Survey 2011 (Middlemarch Environmental) Appendix 8 Noise Impact Assessment (Vibrock dated March 2014) Appendix 9 Transport Assessment (DTA dated March 2014) Appendix 10 Good Practice Air Quality Management/Mitigation Prepared by David L Walker Limited 4 March 2014 Lafarge Tarmac Alrewas Quarry Environmental Statement Proposed Southern Extension PREFACE (i) Lafarge Tarmac is the operator of Alrewas Quarry which has extracted and processed high quality and gravel for over 30 years. (ii) Existing reserves of sand and gravel are nearly exhausted and Lafarge Tarmac has identified the presence of sand and gravel across an approximate 107 hectare area to the south of the existing processing plant site and have submitted a planning application seeking to work this as an extension to the existing quarry. It is proposed to recover a 4.8 million tonne mineral resource and process using the existing consented facilities which will be retained for the duration of the proposals. (iii) It is proposed that the extension area will be restored to a combination of water-based nature conservation and agriculture through the use of on-site materials and the importation of restoration materials. The northern section of the proposed extension area will be restored to provide complementary land use for the NMA which could include expansion and overflow car parking, an arena area serving functions and activities, and formal gardens and water features. (iv) As part of this application, Lafarge Tarmac is also seeking to establish complementary reed bed habitat at the former mineral workings north of the plant site, which have now been restored to a large lake. It is proposed that this will be achieved through the disposal of silt derived from the processing of the mineral from the extension area via the plant through the installation of pipework. The remainder of the application site will be restored to agricultural use. (v) Owing to the nature of the proposals and size of the application area, it is considered that the proposals constitute EIA development as defined under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 (“the EIA Regulations”). (vi) Copies of this Environmental Statement are available for inspection at the offices of Staffordshire County Council as well as Lichfield District Council and at the application site. Further copies may be purchased at a cost of £150 from: David L Walker Limited Albion House 89 Station Road Eckington Sheffield S21 4FW (vii) The Environmental Statement is additionally accompanied by a Planning Statement and a Non-Technical Summary, the purpose of the latter document being to ensure that the findings of the studies undertaken can more readily be disseminated to the general public Prepared by David L Walker Limited 5 March 2014 Lafarge Tarmac Alrewas Quarry Environmental Statement Proposed Southern Extension and that the conclusions are easily understood by non-experts as well as decision makers. It is therefore essential that the Non Technical Summary reflects in an accurate and balanced way the key information contained in the main documentation, describing all conclusions, and the facts and judgements on which they are based. (viii) The Planning Statement provides a full review of Development Plan policies (both adopted and emerging) and sets out a justified need argument for the extension to the existing quarry. Prepared by David L Walker Limited 6 March 2014 Lafarge Tarmac Alrewas Quarry Environmental Statement Proposed Southern Extension SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Aims of the Environmental Statement 1.1.1 The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations integrate the EIA procedures into this existing framework of local authority control and these procedures provide a more systematic method of assessing the environmental implications of developments that are likely to have significant effects. Where the EIA procedure reveals that a project will have an adverse impact on the environment, it does not follow that planning permission must be refused. It remains the task of the local planning authority to judge each planning application on its merits within the context of the development plan, taking account of all material considerations, including potential environmental impacts. 1.1.2 For developers, EIA can help to identify the likely effects of a particular project at an early stage. This can produce improvements in the planning and design of the development; in decision-making by both parties; and in consultation and responses thereto, particularly if combined with early consultations with the local planning authority and other interested bodies during the preparatory stages. In addition, developers may find EIA a useful tool for considering alternative approaches to a development. This can result in a final proposal that is more environmentally acceptable, and can form the basis of a more robust application for planning permission. The presentation of environmental information in a more systematic way may also simplify the local planning authority’s task of appraising the application and drawing up appropriate planning conditions, enabling swifter decisions to be reached. 1.1.3 The main objectives of this Environmental Statement (ES) are: (a) to identify and describe the existing environmental status of the site and its surrounding environs; (b) to describe the proposed developments including the working method and restoration provisions, having full consideration of the size, scale and duration of various elements of the scheme; (c) to identify any significant environmental effects of the development and, in the case of any effect which may be perceived to be harmful, the measures which are proposed in order to ameliorate it; (d) in respect of enhancement, the long term benefits derived from the mineral extraction operations will be considered; and (e) finally, a summary and conclusions are provided. 1.1.4 The application comprises this ES and a Planning Statement (PS). In accordance with the provisions of the (EIA) Regulations, a Non- Technical Summary (NTS) is additionally provided. Prepared by David L Walker Limited 7 March 2014 Lafarge Tarmac Alrewas Quarry Environmental Statement Proposed Southern Extension 1.1.5 This ES details: . Background Details to the Proposals; . Existing Conditions; . Proposed Development; . Potential Environmental Impacts; and . Summary and Conclusions. The document is concluded with a summary section. 1.1.6 Reviews of Development Plan policy and the need argument, together with alternatives reviewed, are provided in the PS. 1.2 Screening