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Appraisal of Site Reference Number 76 Chapel Farm Lenham

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Appraisal of Site Reference Number 76 Chapel Farm Lenham Appraisal of Site Reference Number 76 Chapel Farm Lenham July 2011 This report highlights constraints on a site, which is close to and visible from the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It includes proximity of residential dwellings, some of which are listed buildings and details of Ancient Woodland adjacent to the proposed route of the haul road. The site is close to the Historic Chilston House and Gardens and Sites of Nature Conservation Interest. The report includes details of archaeological remains along with details of the view of the site from a distance and considers the impact on transportation and the environment and wildlife. Prepared for Lenham Parish Council and Local Residents by Darren Hammond Mike Hutt Robert Merrryweather Trisha Page Karen Watkins Contents and Report Summary 1. Site Development 1.1 Site Development: The Chapel Farm Site and the Existing Quarry. Site 76 is not an extension to the existing quarry, it will require a new access onto the A20 and lack of activity at the existing quarry calls into question whether extraction in this area is economically viable. 1.2 Site Viability and Efficient Use of Land Yield of 68,000 tonnes per hectare does not constitute efficient use of land under sustainability objective 8 when compared to other proposed sites 1.3 Sustainability Objectives and Site Viability Lack of activity at the existing quarry suggests that allocating further land in this area will not support economic growth or diversification. 1.4 Site Access Site access scheme will result in deterioration of ancient woodland, loss of hedgerow, potential impact to the headwater of the Stour and will require a new access point onto the A20 to service vehicle movements that would normally stay within the quarry. 2. Land Use and Landscape Constraints 2.1 Loss of Agricultural Land Development of Site 76 will result in significant loss of agricultural land for in excess of 26 years 2.2 The Natural Environment: Native Wildlife Population and the River Stour Development of this site would need to consider the impact to the verified presence of slow worm and common lizard and would be contrary to Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation. The Environment Agency have further raised major concerns that the development could exacerbate the flow stress already being experienced by in the upper reaches of the Great Stour further impacting its ecology which includes the rare white clawed crayfish. 2.3 Nearest dwellings 24 properties lie in close proximity to Site 76, 7 of which share a direct boundary 2.4 Listed Buildings A Grade II* listed building and three Grade II listed building lie in very close proximity to the site with the Grade I listed Chilston Park also in the local area. 2.5 Nearest Public or Outdoor Recreation Area and Public Rights of Way Development of the site would impact the Heath’s Countryside Corridor, Bull Heath Nature Reserve, Chilston Pond and Pines and result in the loss of four public footpaths and a bridleway including an early section of the Stour Valley Walk 2.6 Nearest tourist/visitor attraction Any development at Site 76 will be clearly visible from the North Downs Way – a significant local visitor attraction 2.7 Views of the Site from a Distance/Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Any development at Site 76 will have a significant impact on views from within the North Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 2.8 Proximity to Ancient Woodland The site includes an area of ancient woodland which would be destroyed or impacted by any development. Any such development would therefore be contrary to Mineral Policy Statement 1 2.9 Proximity to Historic Parks and Gardens The site is in close proximity to the historic parks and gardens of Chilston Park 2.10 Archaeological Remains Site 76 encompasses one of the most archeologically significant sites in the area including the sites of Royston Chapel, and Iron Age settlement and the discovery of 65 Roman coins 2.11 Summary of Land Use and Landscape Constraints Multiple aspects of land use, landscape and the environment combine to make Site 76 completely unsuitable for allocation for mineral extraction 3. Transport and Operational Concern 3.1 Congestion on the A20 Additional slow moving vehicles will further impact congestion on the A20 particularly during times of disruption such as Operation Stack. 3.2 Site Access Specific and significant safety issues may arise from the creation of the new access onto the A20 that would be required to develop this site. Appendix A. Site map of quarry B. Heaths Countryside Corridor C. Article: Roman Coins and the Importance of Recording the Grots! Pg 38-40 Discovering Ancient Lenham. The Lenham Archaeological Society 2011 Vol 1. Edition 3. This article clearly demonstrates the number of Roman Coins found in the site of the proposed quarry. D. Article: The Iron Age Enclosure Near Lenham Heath. Author Lesley Feakes. Pg 39-47 Discovering Ancient Lenham. A Report from the Lenham Archaeological Society Volume One Novermber 2006. This article clearly describes the presence of an ancient site within the site of the proposed quarry. E. Article: Iron Ave Village on Chapel Farm, Lenham Heath. Author Lesley Feakes. Pg 21-28. Discovering Ancient Lenham. The Lenham Archeological Society 2008. Volume One. Edition 2. This article clearly describes the presence of an ancient site within the site of the proposed quarry. F. Lenham Archaeological Society. Lesley Feakes. Pg 26-27 Lenham Focus Volume 13 Issue 7 July 2011. This article describes the presence of a crop circle 7 meters in diameter thought to be a hut circle at least 2000 years old. 1. Site Development 1.1 Site Development: The Chapel Farm Site and the Existing Quarry. Site 76 is not an extension to the existing quarry, will require a new access onto the A20 and lack of activity at the existing quarry calls into question whether extraction in this area is economically viable. Minerals Policy Statement 1 encourages the extension of existing mineral working sites in preference to developing new sites in order to reduce environmental disturbance and whilst the Chapel Farm site has been submitted as an “extension” of the existing Lenham Quarry, the Parish Council view is that the Chapel Farm site is not an extension but a new site. There is no connection between the two sites, indeed they are separated by a substantial amount of housing, roads and agricultural land and any sand quarry development of the Chapel Farm site will create substantial environmental disturbance. While there is clear ground between Site 76 and the existing quarry as the crow flies, the proposed exit from the site and route back to the existing quarry exaserbates this issue as quarry traffic will exit via a new access directly to the A20, travel a short distance along the A20 then on existing lanes back to the existing quarry. Existing Quarry Closest boundary of Site 76 Additionally the current Lenham Quarry site is virtually closed. There is very little evidence of any working on the site (see photographic evidence taken on Thursday 28th July at 3 pm) and there has been no evidence of the site being used in the last eighteen months. This indicates that there seems to be a reduced need for new allocations in this area, and, although Brett may argue that the existing mineral reserves at the Lenham Quarry will be exhausted in the plan period only one third of the existing quarry has been developed. The Lenham Quarry site covers a large geographic area and has been divided into a three phase programme of works. Only phase 1 has been fully instigated. (See Brett Aggregates Lenham Quarry plan – only sites 1 and 2 have been developed. Site 3 remains untouched). (Appendix A) The current site is only opened very occasionally in order, we understand, to extract sand required to match existing building work. It is normal to expect the sand to change in quality and texture along its outcrop and the sand from Charing has a slightly different colour and texture. The site at Lenham Heath would not appear a viable site as it is rarely if ever seen working. 1.2 Site Viability and Efficient Use of Land Yield of 68,000 tonnes per hectare does not constitute efficient use of land under sustainability objective 8 when compared to other proposed sites Local residents have sought the opinions of an independent geologist. He informs us that the sand is extracted from a Cretaceous aged horizon known as Greensand. The lower boundary of this is the steep hill at Boughton Malherbe, where the Greensand lies on the so-called Weald Clay. The lower part of the Greensand in the area around Lenham Heath has beds of rock “Ragstone” interlayed with sandstone and siltstone. This is the situation under Hubbards Farm. When the high-speed railway was cut, the geologist (who lives nearby) could see the geology, which underlies Bull Hill. He informs us that it is predominately sandstone but does have a couple of ragstone beds (about 50 cm thick). Our geologist informs us that if a sandpit were dug on Bull Hill it would eventually intercept these ragstone horizons. Moving towards the A20 the thick sandstone beds found at the current site are replaced by an increasingly clay rich sequence before passing into the Gault Clay, which lies at the base of the chalk hill leading up to the site of the old Chest Hospital on the Downs above Lenham. We note that Brett have drilled 22 boreholes in September 1985, and will have a detailed knowledge of the overburden thickness and depth of sand and gravel in this area.
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