For the third time, Professor of Hydrogeology Rick Brassington has weighed in against Aggregate Industries’ plans to quarry Straitgate Farm, setting out in no uncertain terms the damaging effects this would have on Grade I Cadhay and local groundwater supplies.
Prof Brassington was responding to a letter from Aggregate Industries’ consultants Wood, that was itself written in response to his earlier report and letter.
The Environment Agency – or rather, the person at the Agency overseeing this proposal – had previously accepted, at face value, the various statements made by Wood, and had advised Devon County Council that the EA was nevertheless maintaining its earlier position – without first giving Prof Brassington the opportunity to respond. What does that say about the EA? More of that in Part 2.
Prof Brassington’s dismissal of Wood’s response is forthright:
There are many aspects of the letter from Wood to Aggregate Industries that I find disturbing because they are inaccurate.
Unfortunately, Wood has a fundamental misunderstanding of how [the Cadhay fishponds] operate.. It is both shocking and disappointing that consultants who have been working on this project for so long have made such a fundamental mistake.
The proposal to quarry the Straitgate Farm area to the MWWT will impact on the Straitgate and Cadhay Springs and cause a significant deterioration in the water quality.
[The removal of most of the unsaturated zone] will inevitably mean a redistribution of the groundwater discharges and lower flows during dry periods that could easily cause water shortages to those using the springs for water supplies.
I find it incredible that Wood has dismissed my suggestion that the local aquifer is of limited extent and is both fragile and unique with the large number of people and businesses depending on the springs it supports for their water supply. The streams that flow from the springs also support local habitats especially Cadhay Wood and Cadhay Bogs. It is my view that this application should be turned down and that no quarrying be permitted as to allow it will threaten these water resources for many years to come.
Clearly, Prof Brassington is in no doubt about the damage this proposal would do, to this aquifer "both fragile and unique". Some of his closing remarks are particularly scathing:
Aggregate Industries has a cavalier attitude to meeting deadlines in agreements that they have signed up to and consequently cannot be trusted.
Wood’s arguments dismissing the water level reading recorded in borehole SG1990/021 have been shown to be untrue… the water level reading in SG1990/021 measured on 12th June 1990 is a true measure of the local water table and should not be dismissed as Wood has done.
Their statements in the hydrogeological report [on the Salston Stream] are in conflict with their present opinion that now show a convenient opposition to the points raised in my report.
The significant removal of most of the unsaturated zone will cause a change in the groundwater chemistry… Wood seems incapable of grasping this simple fact.
On the issue of the Section 106:
I welcome the fact that Aggregate Industries now have “no objection” to including the Cadhay Spring, mediaeval fishponds, and wetland habitats of Cadhay Bog and Cadhay Wood’s ancient woodlands in the Section 106 agreement. However, I am keen to learn from Devon County Council exactly how any damage to these water features could be undone in the event of adverse impacts from quarrying.
On revising the model of the maximum water table, the MWWT, the base of any quarry:
This should be done before planning permission is determined so that the new MWWT surface can be seen by Aggregate Industries, the Environment Agency, Devon County Council and local residents in order that the implications and the need for mitigation measures can be assessed.
To remind readers: It was in May of this year that we posted Professor of Hydrogeology says ‘ANY quarrying at Straitgate would cause problems’; in July, Professor rebuts EA’s response to his report. Has the EA got it all wrong?; and in August, EA wants AI to address Professor’s water concerns. In September, Aggregate Industries' consultants Wood did indeed respond, and on that basis – without first giving Prof Brassington the chance to address Wood’s letter – the EA said:
Having reviewed the further information submitted we maintain our position in respect of this proposal. We have no objections to the proposal only if the conditions we have previously recommended are included on any subsequent planning permission. We are pleased to note that Aggregate Industries have no objection to Cadhay House Spring being included within the Section 106 agreement.
In light of Wood’s dodgy dossier, Prof Brassington says:
I strongly urge the Environment Agency to review the comments that I have made here and revise their views on this application.
Devon County Council also have a duty to protect groundwater, as set out in Policy M21 of the Devon Minerals Plan 2011- 2033. It seems to me that such duties are made more important when many of the springs that represent discharges from the area it is proposed to quarry are used as private drinking water supplies and the proposal threatens their water quality.
Prof Brassington's latest response can be found here.
