Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application __________________________________________________________________________________ Bilsthorpe Landfill Bilsthorpe Landfill, 2009 A Planning Application for 'Variation of Conditions 4, 5, 6 & 22 of Planning Permission 3/11/00286/CMW to permit the importation of additional soils to complete restoration works and retention of site infrastructure adjacent to the entrance including gas compound, leachate tank, storage building, compressor housing and site office at Bilsthorpe Landfill Site Brailswood Road, Bilsthorpe, Nottinghamshire. Supporting Statement September 2014 1 Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application __________________________________________________________________________________ CONTENTS FOREWORD SUPPORTING STATEMENT 1. Application Context 2. The Site 3. The Proposal Section A – Soil / Restoration import application Section B – S73 application to amend approved plans Section C – Retention and removal of site infrastructure Section D – Planning Policy and Material Considerations 4. Environmental Considerations 5. Summary and Conclusion DRAWINGS Drawing 343A286 – Soil Import Planning Application Plan Drawing 343A284 – Restoration Schedule Sept-Dec 2014 Drawing 343A287 – S73 Planning Application Plan Drawing 343R270B – Interim Restoration Plan Drawing 343R285 – Final Restoration Masterplan APPENDICES Appendix A – Infrastructure to be removed from the site Appendix B – Infrastructure to remain at the site 2 Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application __________________________________________________________________________________ FOREWARD This supporting statement has been produced by FCC Environment (FCC), the operators of Bilsthorpe Landfill Site Brailswood Road, Bilsthorpe, Nottinghamshire. FCC is a leading UK waste management and energy recovery company focused on delivering integrated waste management solutions to meet national, regional and local needs. This planning application seeks consent: • To import a defined volume of restoration materials (soils and clays) to complete restoration of the landfill site. • For a Section 73 planning application to vary conditions 4, 5, 6 and 22 of planning permission 3/11/00286/CMW. • To retain elements of the landfill site infrastructure. 3 Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application __________________________________________________________________________________ SUPPORTING STATEMANT 1 Application Context 1.1 This planning application and supporting statement has been prepared by FCC Environment (FCC). FCC was formerly known as “Waste Recycling Group”. 1.2 This application seeks to allow soil imports (circa 8275m3) to facilitate complete restoration of the landfill site for 12 months duration. 1.3 In addition, the included S73 application seeks slight changes to the approved drawings; these drawings will facilitate the use of the imported material. The proposal improves the landform, which is low in certain areas due to differential settlement. Infilling low points on the landfill cap will improve surface water management. 1.4 Mitigation includes additional trees and hedgerows, supplemental to those previously consented. 1.5 The S73 application also requests the retention of defined site infrastructure to maintain effective site management during the final closure and site restoration phases. 4 Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application __________________________________________________________________________________ 2 The Site 2.1 Bilsthorpe Landfill is located immediately to the east of the village of Bilsthorpe within the administrative District of Newark and Sherwood in the County of Nottinghamshire. 2.2 Bilsthorpe Landfill lies at an elevation of approximately 90m AOD and is surrounded by a surface water drainage ditch. The surrounding landform falls from the south-east to the north-west, though restored colliery spoil heaps from the nearby mine provide local high elevations. Site levels vary between a high of 116m AOD, some 1km to the east, and a low of approximately 60m AOD some 1.5km to the north-west. 2.3 The site is bordered to the north by fields and restored colliery spoil heaps, to the east by woodland, to the south by Bungalow Lane beyond which are agricultural fields and to the south-west by a scrap yard. Near the site entrance, existing infrastructure comprises weighbridge and office accommodation, wheelwash, garages, fuel tanks and a landfill gas management compound. 2.4 The area covered by planning 3/11/00286/CMW, dated 9 th May 2011 extends to some 12 ha. This area is shown edged in blue on plan 343A284 accompanying this application. 2.5 Surface water from the site is currently collected and channelled to a surface water lagoon in the west of the site. This provides for settling and filtering of surface water prior to discharge from the site. 2.6 The woodland that lies adjacent to the northern boundary is designated as open access land under the control of the Forestry Commission. Beyond this woodland is open agricultural land interspersed with other areas of woodland, farmsteads and small settlements. To the west lies a small area of industrial development, beyond which lies the edge of the village of Bilsthorpe. 2.7 The nearest properties to the application site are situated to the south west, in the vicinity of Rectory, Manor and Gable Farms. These properties are a minimum distance of 250m from the application site boundary. Properties fronting the western side of Eakring Road (within Bilsthorpe) are over 50Om from the boundary of the application site. 2.8 Access to the site is gained off Brailwood Road in common with a number of other industrial sites. Brailwood Road is a minor road which terminates at the landfill site. At its western end, it joins Kirklington Road/Eakring Road via a roundabout. Both Kirklington Road and Eakring Road are classified as 'C' class highways. 2.9 A public footpath follows the western edge of woodland that bounds the application site, crosses Brailwood Road, skirts around the western edge of Eakring Brail Wood and crosses agricultural land before joining a track which joins Stonish Hill, to the west of Eakring. 5 Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application __________________________________________________________________________________ 3 The Proposals SECTION A Soils / Restoration material import 3.1 This element of the planning application covers an area of 0.9 hectare as depicted on drawing 343A286 entitled “Soil import planning application plan”. 3.2 Condition 5 of planning permission 3/11/00286/CMW, (dated 9 th May 2011) states: Only soils required for restoration purposes shall be imported and deposited at the site. Soil imports into the site shall cease on or before 30 th November 2013. Final restoration operations shall be carried out and completed within 12 months of the cessation of soil importation / deposition. 3.3 As a consequence of slower than anticipated progress with the restoration programme and differential settlement, further soil imports are requested for a period of 12 months. The importation of this material will allow effective restoration to be undertaken in accordance with the proposals detailed within Section B and Section C. 3.4 The areas within Bilsthorpe Landfill identified to receive further soils are shown on drawing 343A284. 3.5 Following a recent topographical survey which identified a low point towards the eastern end of the site supplemental soils are required to infill this area. Soil importation will enable an improved restoration scheme for the site and provide areas appropriate for additional tree planting. 3.6 Approval of this soil import application will also provide restoration materials to be retained in a circa 2000m3 stockpile (location detailed on drawings 343A284 and 343A286) for later use in the restoration of the gas compound area at the front of the site. This area is shown on drawing 343A286. 3.7 To allow the effective restoration of the site (detailed in Section B and C), a soil volume of circa 5775m3 has been identified which will infill the topographical low point and the area of further waste differential settlement; which has settled below levels previously considered. This area is shaded yellow on drawing 343A286. In addition, soils will be infilled along, and adjacent to the narrowed site road. Retention of the road is required for ongoing site monitoring and maintenance. 3.8 The import of soils adjacent to the site road is calculated at circa 500m3. 3.9 Total soil import is calculated at circa 5775m3 for the topographically low area of the site, circa 500m3 for the road infill and circa 2000m3 (to be held in a stockpile prior to subsequent placement as required) equating to a total of circa 8275m3. 6 Bilsthorpe Landfill Supporting Statement Planning Application __________________________________________________________________________________ 3.10 To facilitate effective restoration, FCC will adhere to best practice when undertaking soil handling procedures. The 5775m3 and 500m3 of material that is required equates to circa 12,000tonnes of material to be delivered and placed. 3.11 The 2000m3 soil would be stockpiled in the position illustrated on drawings 343A284 and 343A286 to a maximum height of 3m. As this stockpile will be retained for greater than 6 months, and could be in-situ for 20 years pending removal of the gas compound (see Section C) the stockpile will be seeded with the following seed