SLR, Aggregate Industries' consultants, tells DCC, statutory consultees and local people that:
The [Environmental Statement] demonstrates that there would be no unacceptable adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment, local amenity or human health 4.18
[The] review of national and local planning policy has demonstrated that the proposed development broadly accords with and supports planning policy and sustainable development. It has not identified any instances where planning policy is not complied with... planning balance is therefore weighted in favour of a positive determination 4.101
... incredible and delusory statements for a 100 acre greenfield quarry and unsustainable 1.2 million mile HGV haulage operation through an AONB and internationally designated wildlife conservation site. It even has the nerve to say:
Arguably some aspects of the application site would be improved as a result of the proposed development 6.102
... when Aggregate Industries is unable to demonstrate a successfully finished and restored quarry anywhere in East or Mid Devon.
There are a multitude of misrepresentations in AI's applications; here's just one:Views from within this part of the AONB [East Hill] are actually quite restricted... illustrated by Reference Photograph ‘R3’ 6.189 ...the colour of exposed soils / overburden would not be dissimilar to the muted brown tone seen over other field compartments within the view 6.193
... 'forgetting', of course, the view points from car parks and picnic spots at White Cross on East Hill, and the impact that AI's quarry at Venn Ottery is already making.
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And on 'need', SLR would rather we went back in time:
The annual production of sand and gravel in the period from 2001 to 2009 averaged 0.8 million tonnes. 5.23 There is an identified shortfall in supply of sand and gravel of some 6 million tonnes, minimum, and an ongoing need for 0.8 million tonnes per year to meet current, established demand. 5.33
But it's not 2009, it's 2015 and DCC has production figures up to the end of 2013, figures that show that the last 10 years averaged 0.61 million tonnes per year, and the last 5 years (the method directed in the existing Minerals Plan MP20) averaged 0.47 million tonnes. Devon has a sand and gravel landbank of 8.53 million tonnes that would last almost 14 years at the 10 year rate, over 18 years at the 5 year rate.
SLR's claim for an 'ongoing need for 0.8 million tonnes' has about as much integrity as its claims on tree-planting or great crested newts. Does SLR think we were all born yesterday?
