Why? Because Aggregate Industries says so:
The first application is for a new sand and gravel quarry at Straitgate Farm located 3km west of Ottery St Mary. The second application is to allow for the importation of as-dug sand and gravel from Straitgate Farm into Hillhead Quarry for processing.
It was the same with the last application for Straitgate; that was inextricably linked to the application for processing at Blackhill - they shared an Environmental Statement.
If the new applications for Straitgate and Hillhead are inextricably linked, then surely the Hillhead ROMP application must also be linked? We've mentioned some of the problems with this application already: More groundwater problems for AI, Hillhead truck numbers ‘don’t stack up’, Another objection to AI's Hillhead ROMP application.
DCC has now issued a Regulation 22 request for the ROMP application outlining even more problems, including the fact that no noise, dust or cumulative impact assessments have been performed.
It should be remembered that DCC first gave notice to AI in 2013 that a review of operating conditions at Hillhead Quarry was due. AI submitted a ROMP application in March 2014 and DCC issued a Scoping Opinion in January 2015. It is therefore difficult to understand why, at the start of 2017, AI has still to supply such fundamental information.
Many will also wonder how a new application for Straitgate, an application that is inextricably linked to Hillhead, can proceed when there are still so many outstanding issues relating to this ROMP application.
