Grs (Roadstone) Limited

GRS (ROADSTONE) LIMITED

PASSENHAM SAND AND GRAVEL QUARRY PASSENHAM, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY

TO ACCOMPANY THE PLANNING APPLICATION FOR

(I) AN EASTERN EXTENSION TO PASSENHAM QUARRY AND ANCILLARY WORKS WITH PROGRESSIVE RESTORATION TO AGRICULTURE AND NATURE CONSERVATION BY THE IMPORTATION OF INERT RESTORATION MATERIALS;

(II) RETENTION OF EXISTING CONSENTED FACILITIES WITHIN THE EXISTING SITE

PREPARED BY: DAVID L WALKER LIMITED

APRIL 2017 GRS (Roadstone) Limited Passenham Quarry Eastern Extension NTS

CONTENTS

Section 1 Introduction

Section 2 Site Description

Section 3 Proposed Development

Section 4 Restoration Proposals

Section 5 Site Operations

Section 6 Vehicle Movements/Access

Section 7 Public Consultation

Section 8 Environmental Impact Assessment

Section 9 Employment

Section 10 Conclusion

LIST OF DRAWINGS

NTS 1 Location Plan

NTS 2 Working Proposals

NTS 3 Restoration Proposals

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SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 This is a Non Technical summary (NTS) of the Environmental Statement that accompanies the planning application submitted by GRS (Roadstone) Limited for:

 an eastern extension to Passenham Quarry and ancillary works with progressive restoration to agriculture and nature conservation by the importation of inert restoration materials; and  retention of existing consented facilities within the existing site.

1.2 The proposed extension contains a mineral reserve of around 150,000 tonnes, which is proposed to be extracted over a period of two to three years with completion of restoration within a further year. The proposals represent a logical extension to a well located minerals operation which is key to supply of high quality construction materials to the Milton Keynes and South Northamptonshire Area.

1.3 Granting consent will maintain continuity of production at the site and will ensure that GRS will be in a position to deliver the remaining allocated mineral resources (i.e. site A1) identified as a Preferred Site under the emerging Milton Keynes Minerals Local Plan.

1.4 The NTS seeks to provide enough information for individuals to understand:

 details of the proposed development;  details of the proposed restoration; and  the safeguards being put in place to protect local amenity.

1.5 The planning application does not seek to:

 change the typical mineral extraction outputs from the site;  change the typical rates of importation into the site;  change the vehicle movement numbers;  change the hours of working;  change the access into the site;  change the existing plant site or other site facilities;  change the route of any heavy goods vehicle to ensure that no such vehicles pass through the village of Passenham; or  change any of the process or consented practices taking place on site.

1.6 The planning application will seek to:

 make a long term enhancement to the existing landform to provide for more nature conservation habitats;

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 use the existing network of haul roads, and processing facilities to transport and process the sand and gravel on site;  enable continuation of supply of construction materials from this well located site, which supplies a number of key infrastructure projects in the local area; and  safeguard six employment positions on site.

Difficulties Encountered

1.7 Consistent with Paragraph 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 4 of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 (as amended), it is confirmed that there were no technical difficulties or lack of knowledge encountered in the preparation and submission of this application.

1.8 The specialist in-house knowledge and support consultancy input has enabled the collation of the ES and other documents prepared in support of the application in accordance with the pre application advice offered by the MPA.

SECTION 2 SITE DESCRIPTION

2.1 The operations at the existing site are well established and comprise the extraction of the high quality sand and gravel deposits. The existing consented area extends across circa 50.7 hectares, with current land uses within the site comprising the following:-

 plant site and ancillary operations area, including weighbridge, offices, welfare units, main haul road, wheelwash and site access;  mineral extraction area;  areas recently restored and/or undergoing restoration;  future mineral extraction area (both operational and remaining); and  water storage and silt lagoons.

2.2 These consented operations are located to the east of Deanshanger Road (the A422), a secondary distributor road, which ultimately leads to the A5 and Milton Keyens to the north, and the town of Buckingham to the south. Access to the existing site is derived via a purpose-built junction off the A422 (refer to Plan NTS 1).

2.3 This application envisages an 10.3 hectare eastern extension to the mineral workings located to the east of the River Great Ouse (refer Plan NTS 2). The extension area is in a primarily rural setting, and comprises two open field compartments framed by woodland and mature hedgerows set in the floodplain of the Great River Ouse.

2.4 Topographical levels vary from 67 m AOD in the south of the proposed extension area down to 65.5 m AOD in the north-east

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corner of the proposed extension.

2.5 Due to the size and extent of the application site, and the environs in which it is situated, a limited number of residential premises are located in proximity. However, there are a number of residential premises in the hamlet of Passenham itself, which are already designated receptors in respect of the consented operations in plant site area and previous phases of working at the site.

SECTION 3 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

3.1 This planning application is for a eastern extension to Passenham Quarry, located to the west of Milton Keynes. The quarry currently extracts sand and gravel to supply to the local market. The existing operations also have consent for an inert materials recycling facility located within the plant site area. It is proposed to extend the mineral workings across an 10.4 hectare extension area located to the east of the Great River Ouse (refer plan NTS 2).

3.2 The proposed extension area comprises two agricultural fields to the east of the previous phases of working east of the river (designated as phases 3-9). The proposed extraction area has been delineated, based on intrusive investigations undertaken by the Applicant Company and applying stand-offs to the existing land uses (including recreational premises, the Conservation Area in and around Passenham, the Great River Ouse and ecological features) where necessary.

3.3 In order to recover these minerals the existing haul roads and bailey bridges will be retained to maintain access to the existing processing plant and ancillary facilities. The haul roads currently on site will be further developed to link the extraction area with the plant site.

3.4 A phased working and restoration scheme has been prepared to ensure that the minerals are recovered in an efficient and systematic manner enabling the continued phased working and restoration of the site in accordance with best practice guidance. The extension would be worked in two phases designated as Phases 13 and 14, with the operations starting closets to the village of Passenham and working away from the same in a general southerly direction.

3.5 The overall scheme has been designed to ensure there is minimal impact on local amenity of residents, and to ensure that the local environment is not adversely affected by not only the extraction operations, but the final restoration scheme. During extraction operations, in accordance with previous planning controls for the site issued by Milton Keynes Council, a minimum 200m standoff to the proposed extraction area from residential premises in the village of Passenham will be maintained.

3.6 No mineral processing will occur within the proposed extension areas,

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and operations will therefore only be related to the extraction and restoration of the given areas.

3.7 Based on feedback from the local community via the site liaison group, the operations have also been designed such that the more northern and western elements of Phase 13 would be restored using on site materials rather than imported restoration material. This will reduce the scope for HGV activity in the vicinity of Passenham this in turn minimising the risk of noise from the HGV tail gates impacting on the residences therein.

3.8 Another key control will be the use of "campaign extraction" techniques. This will comprise a period of almost constant extraction within the consented hours of working over a period of six to eight weeks. In the intervening periods importation/restoration activity would continue to minimise the scope for restoration lag. This approach minimises the duration of heavy plant activity on site minimising the scope for noise and dust emissions, and therefore the scope for conflict.

3.9 The scheme has been developed with specific regard to the protection of existing environmental and cultural assets. Owing to its proximity in a rural environment, the proposed extraction area will not overly impinge on residential amenity. For those limited number of residential premises in the proximity, a specific set of mitigation measures has been developed, including the application of appropriate stand-offs or separation area, and appropriate internal routing of heavy plant and HGV activity.

3.10 The proposed extension area’s location within the floodplain has also meant careful design and siting of soils bunds and materials handling, as well as the continued implementation of a Flood Evacuation Plan to be carried over from the current operations.

Key Facts

3.11 Application Area 10.4 ha

The Extension Area (including the Proposed Mineral Extraction Area) 10.3 ha

Proposed Mineral Extraction Area 5.8 ha

Mineral Extraction 150,000 tonnes

Total Importation Requirement into 90,000 m3 the proposed extension for restoration purposes

Working Hours – Mineral Extraction Mon-Fri 0700-1800 hrs

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No extraction during weekend hours

Period of Mineral Extraction assuming 100,000 – 120,000 tonnes production per annum 2-3 years

Period of Operation Summer 2018 - Summer 2021

Restoration by Summer 2022

SECTION 4 RESTORATION PROPOSALS

4.1 Currently the approved restoration scheme for the operations situated east of the River Great Ouse at Passenham Quarry provides for restoration to close to original ground level and includes for a floodplain meadow habitat with perimeter hedgerow and riverside tree planting. The restoration contours were designed based on information available at that time, using on-site overburden and other on-site restoration materials resource, supplemented by imported inert restoration materials.

4.2 After appropriate review of the relevant policy documents and baseline environmental reports, it is considered that the approved scheme remains the most sustainable option for restoring the proposed extension area which is the subject of this planning application.

4.3 It is also considered that as most of the proposed extension area shows the same floodplain meadow setting, then the floodplain habitat is also the relevant target habitat in this area.

4.4 The scheme will also make positive contributions to local biodiversity objectives by enhancing existing perimeter hedgerows, and creating larger areas of shallow pond and emergent plant habitats.

4.5 Having regard to the above, the restoration concept aims to achieve the following overarching objectives:

(i) the return of the majority of the site into productive agricultural grazing land; (ii) conserve the existing high quality soil resource; (iii) have a net beneficial effect on long term flood risk by providing additional storage capacity over and above existing; (iv) contribute to local biodiversity through the creation and establishment of appropriate and complementary habitats; and

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(v) have a long term positive impact on the landscape environment.

All of these objectives are consistent with the themes articulated in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and supplementary Planning Practice Guidance, as well as local planning policy objectives and Green Infrastructure Planning.

SECTION 5 SITE OPERATIONS

5.1 The different operations will be controlled and managed as follows:

 maintain a minimum 200m stand off from the village of Passenham;  soil and overburden would be removed and either stored in temporary mounds or, wherever possible, directly placed for restoration purposes;  where stored, soils mounds would be graded and seeded to give a more natural appearance, restricting views into working area;  sand and gravel would be extracted in phases (refer Plan NTS 2) using hydraulic excavators and articulated dump trucks to transfer minerals to the existing processing plant;  land not immediately required for extraction would remain in agricultural use;  land would be progressively restored in phases using a combination of soils and overburden and imported inert materials;  in Phase 13 soils and overburden will be prioritised for use in restoration to minimize the use of road going HGVs in proximity to the village  progressive restoration would provide a reinstated productive arable land regime with nature conservation gains from linked hedgerows and woodland as well as the provision of species-rich habitats;  operations will take place in line with existing permitted hours, i.e. 0700 hours to 1800 hours Monday to Friday, and 0700 hours to 1300 hours Saturday;  no extraction or restoration activity within the proposed extension on Saturday; and  no operations of any nature on Sundays or public bank holidays.

5.2 Monitoring Action Plans will be maintained in respect of any potential noise and dust emissions consistent with the existing planning controls on site which form best practice. The site is also subject to control by way of an Environmental Permit that regulates the beneficial use of imported inert materials to support the restoration of the site.

SECTION 6 VEHICLE MOVEMENTS/ACCESS

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6.1 As well as producing sand and gravel at Passenham Quarry there are also ongoing importation operations to achieve the restoration scheme, and planning consent exists for a inert material recycling facility.

6.2 The proposals will maintain continuity of output from the existing site which over recent years has averaged 100,000 tonnes per annum.

6.3 The above rates of mineral extraction would equate to an average of 22 loads per day (44 movements) as at present.

6.4 In respect of importation, current controls under Environmental Permitting allow up to 150,000 tonnes per annum of inert materials, which equates to 27 loads (54 movements). No change is sought in this regard.

6.5 In respect of the haulage of materials, it will be necessary to further develop the onsite infrastructure to connect the proposed extension area to the plant site. However this will be internal to the site; use existing routes wherever possible and not on the public highway.

SECTION 7 PUBLIC CONSULTATION

7.1 The proposals detailed in this planning application have been subject to pre- submission public consultation in accordance with the Statement of Community Involvement adopted by the MPA as part of their Minerals Local Plan.

7.2 The existing site already has the benefit of a Liaison Committee which has allowed GRS to highlight the scope for an application as early as Spring 2016.

7.3 During the meetings no specific comments or concerns were raised in relation to the proposals detailed within this application. The Parish Councils confirmed that they have had no complaints since the recommencement of operations at the site, but are interested in how the site will be restored.

7.4 The most recent liaison committee meeting on 18 October 2016 confirmed some observations on site layout that have been taken into consideration in the preparation of the scheme detailed in this planning application.

7.5 In support of this formal consultation GRS has also distributed an informal mailer to residents in Passenham and the surrounding area. The distribution was across some sixty residences and local commercial/recreational users.

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7.6 GRS will continue to engage with the local community through all phases of the proposed development to maintain the good relations established to date.

SECTION 8 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

8.1 Independent technical consultants were commissioned to undertake various studies and surveys to determine the potential impacts of the proposals on the environment as part of a broader evaluation known as an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

8.2 In accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, assessments have been undertaken in order to identify potential effects (both positive and negative) and to consider the significance of any such effects.

8.3 In respect of Landscape and Visual Amenity it is concluded that the range of mitigation measures built into the design of the working and restoration schemes serves to reduce the levels of landscape and visual impact. Post-restoration the LVIA finds that the visual effects would range from imperceptible to slight levels of significance but at all viewpoints the nature of effect would either remain neutral or would be beneficial to a lesser or greater degree. Thus the proposals will make a positive long term contribution to the visual characteristics of the wider landscape environment. These beneficial effects serve to balance the short term temporary effects of mineral extraction operations.

8.4 In respect of Soils and Agricultural Land Quality, circa 53% of the survey area comprises best and most versatile agricultural land, with the majority of the remainder comprising grade 3b. A detailed and well developed series of soils stripping handling and replacement protocols have been developed by the applicant to ensure the continued quality of this important resource.

8.5 The restoration scheme envisages a return to productive agricultural land for over 90% of the application area, this making best use of the highest quality soils consistent with the themes of sustainable husbandry.

8.6 With regard to Ecology, the ecological survey that has been undertaken identifies that there is little ecological resource on site of any significance. Habitat loss as a result of the development is minimal and there will be long term net gains for the habitats available on site, with the scope for slight but sustainable ecological enhancement.

8.7 In respect of Hydrology and Hydrogeology, the assessment undertaken confirms that the proposals to progressively extract and restore the proposed extension will not impact on the groundwater environment. The largest scope for impact is the alteration of the surface water regime post-restoration, where the landform will be different.

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However, even in this regard the report finds that any impacts would be minor and would not detrimentally affect the area.

8.8 With regard to Archaeology, the site has been subject to a range of assessments using desk based non-intrusive and intrusive investigation techniques. The investigations completed to date have not identified archaeological features that warrant further investigation or preservation in situ. The finds and features identified are assessed as being of only local significance, which are fully understood in the context of wider evidence acquired to date.

8.9 In respect of Cultural Heritage, appropriate assessment has indicated that there is in the main only a negligible chance of effect. It is concluded that the proposals will not compromise understanding, historic importance or setting of any element of the Passenham Conservation Area or Listed Buildings situated therein.

8.10 With regard to Noise, the assessment that has been undertaken confirms that the working scheme developed for the site pays due regard to its context, with the appropriate provision of stand-offs and where necessary the inclusion of amenity bunding. The report finds without fail that the normal day to day and temporary operations within the proposed extension area can be undertaken within the guidelines set by central government.

8.11 With regard to Dust, the Environmental Statement highlights "good practice guidance" and additional mitigation measures which are generally accepted by the Institute for Air Quality Management as providing effective protection against airborne dust from sand and gravel sites. Adoption of such good practice will ensure that operations will not cause unacceptable impacts due to airborne dust emissions at any property in the vicinity of the site.

8.12 In respect of Traffic, the proposed extension will continue to use the existing consented access to export the minerals to market. This access has been operated with no records of accidents or incidents for over four years. There is no intensification of activity and therefore minimal scope for impact.

8.13 In respect of Arboriculture, the application boundary is already set back from the hedge along Beachampton Road to ensure full protection of the hedge. The extraction scheme pays full respect to the root protection requirements detailed in appropriate guidance, thereby ensuring that there will be negligible impact on the existing trees and hedges found in the vicinity of the site and that will be retained and managed in all phases of activity to provide a slight benefit over time.

8.14 The EIA finds limited scope for any cumulative or interaction effects and find that the development proposed is the most sustainable option to provide an in demand construction material, to the market place, in the most efficient manner.

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Overall Conclusion

8.15 The proposals represent a sustainable and logical extension to the mineral workings at Passenham Quarry. The context of the site is such that the mineral resource proposed in this application (and identified as a preferred allocation by Milton Keyes Council under its emerging Minerals Local Plan) could be recovered with minimal impact on surrounding environment.

SECTION 9 EMPLOYMENT

9.1 Passenham Quarry currently provides direct employment for three members of staff.

9.3 The existing operation also supports in excess of 30 indirect jobs through the regular hiring of specialist contractors, maintenance technicians and hauliers, the long term future of which will be secured by this proposal.

SECTION 10 CONCLUSION

10.1 This is a Non Technical summary of the Environmental Statement that accompanies the planning application submitted by GRS (Roadstone) Limited for:

10.2 The proposals represent a logical extension to a well located minerals operation which is key to supply of high quality construction materials to the Milton Keynes and South Northamptonshire Area.

10.3 Granting consent will maintain continuity of production at the site and will ensure that GRS will be in a position to deliver the remaining allocated mineral resources (i.e. site A1) identified as a Preferred Site under the emerging Milton Keynes Minerals Local Plan. Net completion rates on housing and employment land uses within Milton Keynes and the surrounding area are anticipated to peak over the next three years, meaning that Passenham Quarry will be well located to provide materials and services to this period of economic growth.

10.4 The proposal represents a sustainable and logical extension to the mineral workings at Passenham Quarry and is therefore fully consistent with requirements of Local Planning Policy documents and National Guidance. The context of the site is such that the

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mineral resource proposed in this application could be recovered with minimal impact on the surrounding environment.

10.5 GRS have developed these proposals in order to maintain a sustainable contribution to the MPA's obligation to ensure availability of aggregates and efficiently work in a sustainable manner a high quality and proven resource.

10.6 Granting permission for the proposals will also safeguard the existing jobs at Passenham Quarry, along with indirect employment benefits not only to the Company’s haulier fleet and sub-contractors, but also providing indirect support to the network of added value operations and construction projects which the site supplies construction materials.

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Plans

NTS 1 Location Plan

NTS 2 Working Proposals

NTS 3 Restoration Proposals