HANSON UK HARTHAM BATH STONE MINE, CORSHAM NEW MINE ENTRANCE AND ANCILLARY SURFACE FACILITIES Construction of an inclined mine entrance from the surface into existing permitted mine workings, construction of ancillary surface facilities including access to highway, offices, workshop, covered storage, open storage, landscaping and restoration PLANNING SUPPORTING STATEMENT JANUARY 2015 Wardell Armstrong Sir Henry Doulton House, Forge Lane, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5BD, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)845 111 7777 Facsimile: +44 (0)845 111 8888 www.wardell-armstrong.com DATE ISSUED: January 2015 JOB NUMBER: ST13466 ELECTRONIC REFRENCE: REPORT NUMBER: RPT-010 HANSON UK HARTHAM BATH STONE MINE, NEW MINE ENTRANCE PLANNING SUPPORTING STATEMENT December 2014 PREPARED BY: David Bridgwood Technical Director APPROVED BY: Mike Walker Technical Director This report has been prepared by Wardell Armstrong LLP with all reasonable skill, care and diligence, within the terms of the Contract with the Client. The report is confidential to the Client and Wardell Armstrong LLP accepts no responsibility of whatever nature to third parties to whom this report may be made known. No part of this document may be reproduced without the prior written approval of Wardell Armstrong LLP. ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES Wardell Armstrong is the trading name of Wardell Armstrong LLP, Registered in England No. OC307138. LAND AND PROPERTY MINING AND MINERAL PROCESSING Registered office: Sir Henry Doulton House, Forge Lane, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5BD, United Kingdom MINERAL ESTATES AND QUARRYING UK Offices: Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, Cardiff, Carlisle, Edinburgh, Greater Manchester, London, Newcastle upon Tyne, Penryn, Sheffield, Truro, West Bromwich. International Offices: Almaty, Moscow WASTE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HANSON UK HARTHAM BATH STONE MINE, NEW MINE ENTRANCE PLANNING SUPPORTING STATEMENT CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 2 SITE DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................................... 3 3 BACKGROUND AND REASONS FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ............................... 4 4 PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION AND SCREENING ...................................................... 6 5 DESCRIPTION OF DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................. 11 6 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS............................................................................ 13 7 PLANNING POLICY BACKGROUND ................................................................................ 19 8 PLANNING ASSESSMENT .............................................................................................. 25 9 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 28 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Noise and Vibration Assessment Appendix 2 Mine Entry Geotechnical Design Appendix 3 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Appendix 4 Preliminary Ecological Assessment Appendix 5 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Initial Constraints Assessment Appendix 6 Construction Dust Assessment Appendix 7 Flood Risk Assessment Appendix 8 Mitigation Proposals Management Plan Appendix 9 Pre-Application Screening Report Appendix 10 EIA Screening Response dated 31 July 2014 Appendix 11 Pre Application Response dated 19 August 2014 Appendix 12 Public Consultation Leaflet and News release ST13466 /RPT -010 JANUARY 2015 HANSON UK HARTHAM BATH STONE MINE, NEW MINE ENTRANCE PLANNING SUPPORTING STATEMENT DRAWINGS ST13466-101 Location Plan ST13466-102 Zone of Theoretical Visibility ST13466-103 Photoview Location Plan ST13466-104 Designated Areas ST13466-105 Public Rights of Way Plan ST13466-106 Sensitive Receptors ST13466-107 Topography ST13466-110 Landscape Plan ST13466-111 Restoration ST13466-112 Site Setting and Permitted Mine ST13466-113 Site Plan ST13466-114 Existing Topographic Survey ST13466-115 Site Layout ST13466-116 Indicative Surface Water Drainage ST13466-117 General Elevation Figure 1 Identification of Noise Sources Figure 2 Noise Contour Plot ST13466-004 Habitat Plan ST13466-013 Noise Monitoring Locations Designated and Non-Designated Heritage ST13466-016 Assets ST13466-018 General Adit Roof Support Layout ST13466-020 Existing Dust Sensitive Receptors ST13466-021 Elevations- Office ST13466-022 Elevations- Workshop ST13466-023 Elevations- Storage Shed Visibility Splays at Site Access off Bradford ST13466-C3D024 Road ST13466 /RPT -010 JANUARY 2015 HANSON UK HARTHAM BATH STONE MINE, NEW MINE ENTRANCE PLANNING SUPPORTING STATEMENT 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Wardell Armstrong has been commissioned by Hanson UK, trading as Hanson Bath and Portland Stone (HBPS), to prepare and submit a planning application for a new mine entrance and ancillary facilities to gain access to the existing dimension stone mine at Hartham Park. See drawings ST13466/101 and ST13466/115 for further details. The proposals will not involve an extension to the mine itself, nor will it require any variation to the existing permission for the winning and working of minerals. 1.2 Technical assessments have been completed for noise, mine entry geotechnical design, landscape and visual impact, ecology, construction dust, flood risk and archaeology and cultural heritage. These assessments are included as Appendices 1- 8. All drawings referred to in the appendices are included in the drawing section of this statement 1.3 The findings of the supporting assessments do not identify any constraints to development, although some mitigation measures have been proposed. Current arrangements for mine entry are considered to be sub-optimal in safety, environmental and commercial terms. There is an element of visual impact as a result of the proposed development, but this will be mitigated by the proposed site design coupled with sensitive landscape planting. The planting will offer enhanced ecological conditions on site as it matures, and this will continue once the use has been completed and the site restored. 1.4 The proposals for a new point of access would not lead to the release of more minerals. They would make working processes more safe and efficient by reducing the underground distance the material needs to be hauled before being brought to the surface. There would also be a reduction in carbon emissions as a result of reducing transport distances. 1.5 The proposed new access will not change the existing pattern of underground working. The proposed adit will intercept an existing operational roadway within the mine and allow for the removal of material from that mine from an alternative location. It will not result in a change to the pattern or extent of the existing underground working. As part of the operation the opportunity has however been taken to reconsider the surface arrangements and their impact on the environment. 1.6 The application will therefore include new surface facilities for the storage and maintenance of underground machinery and for product storage, as well as new ST13466 /RPT -010 Page 1 JANUARY 2015 HANSON UK HARTHAM BATH STONE MINE, NEW MINE ENTRANCE PLANNING SUPPORTING STATEMENT office and welfare facilities. 1.7 An extensive pre-application consultation exercise was undertaken in 2014, responses to which have been addressed in this planning application. It is considered that there are no environmental or technical reasons why the development should not proceed. 1.8 On completion of mine working the site infrastructure will be demolished and taken off site. The areas of landscaping around the periphery of the site will be retained as by this time it will have matured, so soils will be imported to cover the infrastructure areas and achieve a restoration to a mix of agriculture and nature conservation as shown on drawing ST13466/111. Further restoration details are provided in the Report at Appendix 8. ST13466 /RPT -010 Page 2 JANUARY 2015 HANSON UK HARTHAM BATH STONE MINE, NEW MINE ENTRANCE PLANNING SUPPORTING STATEMENT 2 SITE DESCRIPTION 2.1 The new mine entrance is proposed in an area of agricultural land situated off the B3109 Bradford Road to the west of Corsham, and east of Box in Wiltshire as shown on drawing no. ST13466/113. To the north of the site are the properties fronting onto A4 Bath Road and to the north east is further agricultural land. To the south east is the B3109 Bradford Road and to the south west of the site lie the rear garden areas of properties fronting onto Toghill Crescent, and Long Close Avenue. To the north west, the site is bound by further agricultural land. The city of Bath lies approximately 7 miles to the south west. 2.2 The field within which the site is located lies within a belt of agricultural land which extends to the wider countryside north of Corsham and parkland to the south. ST13466 /RPT -010 Page 3 JANUARY 2015 HANSON UK HARTHAM BATH STONE MINE, NEW MINE ENTRANCE PLANNING SUPPORTING STATEMENT 3 BACKGROUND AND REASONS FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 3.1 Bath Stone is a strategically important building stone of national significance. It has been used extensively as a building material throughout southern England for churches, houses and public buildings such as railway stations. Mining of Bath Stone is important in the supply of refurbishment materials to sites of national and world heritage. 3.2 The core market since the UK recession began in 2008 has