GRS (ROADSTONE) LIMITED PASSENHAM QUARRY MILTON KEYNES PLANNING APPLICATION FOR A CHANGE OF USE OF LAND AT PASSENHAM QUARRY TO ENABLE THE RECYCLING OF IMPORTED CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION MATERIALS SUPPORTING PLANNING STATEMENT AND DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT PREPARED BY: DAVID L WALKER LIMITED FEBRUARY 2014 Final 20.02.14 GRS (Roadstone) Limited Application for Change of Use of Land at Passenham Quarry Supporting Planning Statement and Design Access Statement CONTENTS SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Context 1.2 The Applicant Company 1.3 Structure of Written Statement 1.4 Proposed Change of Use SECTION 2 THE APPLICATION SITE 2.1 General 2.2 Existing Situation 2.3 Highways 2.4 Landscape 2.5 Local Amenity 2.6 Hydrology SECTION 3 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 3.1 General 3.2 Recycling Operations 3.3 Dust Management 3.4 Other Matters 3.5 Employment SECTION 4 TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Local Planning Policy 4.3 National Planning Policy SECTION 5 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Landscape and Visual Effects 5.3 Highways and Traffic 5.4 Noise 5.5 Dust/Air Quality 5.6 Hydrology and Flood Risk 5.7 Conclusion SECTION 6 DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Site Context and Use 6.3 Layout and Scale 6.4 Landscaping and Visual Appearance 6.5 Access Statement SECTION 7 SUMMARY 2 Prepared by David L Walker Limited February 2014 Final 20.02.14 GRS (Roadstone) Limited Application for Change of Use of Land at Passenham Quarry Supporting Planning Statement and Design Access Statement LIST OF PLANS P14/PL01/01 Location Plan P14/PL01/02 Existing Situation P14/PL01/03 Proposed Site Layout ~~~~~~~~~ LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1 Copy of Planning Consent Ref 12/00026/MIN dated 2 June 2012 Appendix 2 Technical Specifications of Proposed Plant Appendix 3 Flood Risk Assessment 3 Prepared by David L Walker Limited February 2014 Final 20.02.14 GRS (Roadstone) Limited Application for Change of Use of Land at Passenham Quarry Supporting Planning Statement and Design Access Statement SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Content 1.1.1 GRS (Roadstone) Limited (“the applicant”) controls land at Passenham Quarry located off Buckingham Road, Deanshanger (“the site”). 1.1.2 The site comprises an existing sand and gravel quarry with ancillary operations. 1.1.3 The planning application proposes a change of use on part of the site to enable the establishment of recycling operations using the existing site access to import raw materials, specifically construction and demolition materials, mobile plant and equipment to recycle the materials, and the export of processed secondary aggregate by road. 1.2 The Applicant Company 1.2.1 GRS (Roadstone) Limited is a long-established company, providing construction materials and waste handling solutions to the East Midlands, West Midlands, Anglia, London and the Home Counties. 1.2.2 The Company operates a number of depots, aggregate bagging plants, waste recycling and waste disposal operations. 1.2.3 The Company acquired an operational interest at Passenham Quarry in June 2012. 1.3 Structure of the Written Statement 1.3.1 This Written Statement has been prepared in view of Northamptonshire County Council’s planning application validation criteria. The Statement will initially provide detail on the existing context of the site and provide a description of the proposals with mitigation details where relevant. 1.3.2 A review of Planning Policy (adopted and emerging) is provided at Section 4 along with analysis of the potential environmental impacts of the proposed change of use (Section 5). In this regard key technical areas have been considered in respect of the following: Landscape; Transport; Noise; and Air Quality. 4 Prepared by David L Walker Limited February 2014 Final 20.02.14 GRS (Roadstone) Limited Application for Change of Use of Land at Passenham Quarry Supporting Planning Statement and Design Access Statement 1.4 Proposed Change of Use 1.4.1 This planning application seeks consent for a change of use for only part of the site to facilitate the establishment and operation of an inert waste recycling facility (“the application site”). 1.4.2 The raw material will be imported to the site by road and placed within a designated storage area before processing (refer Plan P14/PL01/03). Mobile and equipment plant will be utilised to manufacture a range of construction materials. It is this part of the site which is where the proposed change of use is sought. 1.4.3 Once processed the material will be placed within a separate stocking area according to size and type before distribution to the market. 5 Prepared by David L Walker Limited February 2014 Final 20.02.14 GRS (Roadstone) Limited Application for Change of Use of Land at Passenham Quarry Supporting Planning Statement and Design Access Statement SECTION 2 THE APPLICATION SITE 2.1 General 2.1.1 The site is located approximately 6 km west of Milton Keynes city centre and circa 400 m south-west of the village of Passenham (refer to Plan P14/PL01/01). 2.1.2 The site is accessed off the A422 Deanshanger Road, with the site benefitting from an existing hard-surfaced haul road. 2.1.3 The application site relates to a 1.3 hectare area of the consented plant compound at the site, the extent of which is shown illustrated on Plan P14/PL01/02. 2.2 Existing Situation 2.2.1 The application site is located within the consented confines of the plant compound at the site situated at an elevation of circa 67 m AOD. The site benefits from a series of well-developed soil storage bunds which provide acoustic and aesthetic mitigation for the site (refer Plan P14/PL01/02). 2.2.2 The north and south of the site are dominated by agricultural land uses, whilst the A422 forms the western perimeter and the Great River Ouse forms the eastern perimeter; Deanshanger Brook runs through the site and is located north-east of the application site (refer Plan P14/PL01/02). 2.2.3 The application site is located immediately adjacent to the A422 (refer Plan A4/PL01/02). Elements of the application site are located on silt lagoons which will be filled in as part of the consented working and restoration schemes for the site. 2.2.4 The application site is located in Flood Zones 1, 2 and 3, but is not located in a groundwater source protection zone. The Great River Ouse is the principal drainage feature in the vicinity of the site. 2.3 Highways 2.3.1 The site has the benefit of an established access off Deanshanger Road via a roundabout on to the A422. 6 Prepared by David L Walker Limited February 2014 Final 20.02.14 GRS (Roadstone) Limited Application for Change of Use of Land at Passenham Quarry Supporting Planning Statement and Design Access Statement 2.3.2 There are no current limitations on HGV movements at the site; however the typical historic output rate is of the order of 80,000 tpa, which is equivalent to 30 movements per day (15 in and 15 out). 2.3.3 The A422 is a primary distributor in the County’s road hierarchy and is therefore able to accommodate additional HGV traffic. 2.3.4 A network of footpaths extends across the undulating landform between Beachampton and Calverton, to the south-west of the application area. In addition, a short footpath links Passenham to the A422 and the path crosses the A422 by a footbridge that arcs over the main road. However, there are currently no formal public rights of way within the site or the application site. 2.4 Landscape 2.4.1 The site is located on the urban fringe of Milton Keynes in a landscape controlled by the historic development of the Great River Ouse, and thus characterised by gently undulating topography and broad shallow valleys. 2.4.2 The closest residential development is at Passenham Village, with Deanshanger, Calverton, and Stoney Stratford all in proximity to the site. 2.4.3 The site is located in a context of small scale arable field units, delineated by strong hedgerows and meandering drains, with some woodland compartments. 2.4.4 The small village of Passenham to the north-east of the application site contains several attractive traditional stone buildings and is semi-enclosed by mature garden and park-type tree planting. This area forms a pocket of high landscape quality and interest. 2.4.5 The River Ouse, winding past the application area and flowing north- eastwards into Milton Keynes, forms an attractive corridor feature, semi- enclosed by mature willows and other riverside trees, both as individual specimens and small groves. This landscape type is of a high landscape quality and visual interest. 2.4.6 The site itself, as it currently appears, is generally of moderate landscape quality, with more open field and a lesser degree of mature hedgerow cover. The land appears as a typical area of mixed pastoral and arable infill between the River Ouse and the B4033. 7 Prepared by David L Walker Limited February 2014 Final 20.02.14 GRS (Roadstone) Limited Application for Change of Use of Land at Passenham Quarry Supporting Planning Statement and Design Access Statement 2.4.7 Noise disturbance due to fast-flowing traffic on the A422(T) and the A5(T) can create a busy atmosphere at times. In visual terms, the developments along the A422 tend to detract from the overall landscape quality. 2.4.8 Although bisected by two road corridors, the area has not become totally fragmented.