Last month, Dartmoor National Park Authority granted Glendinning permission to extend their Linhay Hill Quarry in Ashburton to allow the extraction of limestone for another 60 years. We posted about it here.
Given that the DNPA – like Devon County Council – has declared a Climate Emergency, it was not surprising that the subject of greenhouse gas emissions was a significant consideration. As the officer’s report says:
15.2 The NPPF 2019 identifies mitigating and adapting to climate change, including moving to a low carbon economy as factors to help with achieving sustainable development. Chapter 14 of the NPPF is specific to meeting the challenge of climate change. Paragraph 148 requires the planning system to support the transition to a low carbon future, and, amongst other factors, it should help to shape places in ways that contribute to radical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Could radical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions be pointed to in the case of the Linhay Hill extension? Apparently so:
15.11.1 ...Linhay Hill Quarry’s location in the central position to the main Devon markets and the distances involved to supplement supply from outside of Devon if Linhay Hill Quarry was to close, will provide substantial savings on greenhouse gas arisings.
The South West Business Council made the case that:
6.1.4.3 If we assume that planning consent is refused and that the other three Devon limestone quarries substitute the current output of Linhay Hill Quarry then that would generate c1,348T of CO2 emissions per annum due to increased journey mileage.
Refusing the application would therefore result in greater emissions from transporting aggregates and therefore a more adverse effect on climate and the environment than would otherwise be the case.
That’s a strong argument, when 'the world is way off pace to avert catastrophic climate impacts.'
In the same vein, Aggregate Industries – in making the case to a council apparently taking the lead on climate change – would have to say:
REFUSING our application for Straitgate Farm would result in LESS EMISSIONS from transporting aggregates and therefore a more POSITIVE EFFECT on climate and the environment than would otherwise be the case.
Of course, Glendinning had no alternative site to turn to if its application was refused. Aggregate Industries, on the other hand, has more than 30-years’ supply of sand and gravel still in the ground next door to its processing plant at Hillhead – 23 miles away from Straigate.
