Virtually all sand and gravel quarry operators process on-site – not 23 miles away as Aggregate Industries has proposed for Straitgate Farm. It makes economic sense. It makes environmental sense.
This week, Warwickshire County Council approved planning application RBC/20CM010 from Smiths Concrete to process sand and gravel at Wolston Fields Quarry rather than hauling material to a processing plant 3 miles away. Only two public objections were received. One councillor remarked:
By making sure it is going to work for the local community as well as being the known operator in the area is shown by the relatively low number of objections. With something like this you can sometimes have pages and pages and we’re just not seeing that this time which shows that this has been well thought through, well worked through with the proper consultation and everything has been considered.
What did the Officer’s report say?
The applicant claims that the proposals would reduce vehicle mileage by 50,000 kms and this would lead to a reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions over the short life of the scheme. The bulk of the figure arises from no longer hauling silt from Wolston to Bubbenhall for processing and the remainder from shorter trips to the company’s markets in Rugby and Coventry east areas. The claim appears reasonable and would demonstrate the reductions policies DM 5 and DM11 are seeking to achieve and a commitment to adapting to climate change.
Those policies are from Warwickshire’s emerging Minerals Plan. DM5 Sustainable Transportation:
Developers must demonstrate that a proposal facilitates sustainable transportation by: a. considering alternatives to road transport; b. minimising transportation distances; c. minimising the production of carbon emissions; and d. Where road is the only viable method of transportation, demonstrating that there is no unacceptable adverse impact on the safety, capacity and use of the highway network.
DM11 Carbon Emissions and Resource Efficiency:
Mineral development that reduces overall carbon emissions and improves resource efficiency during construction, operation and restoration will be supported subject to compliance with other policies in the development plan.
One day, Devon County Council might have to determine Aggregate Industries' proposal for Straitgate Farm. It would be an indication of how seriously the Council takes its declaration of a climate emergency, because rather than reducing haulage distances by 50,000 kms, Aggregate Industries' application is all about increasing haulage distances by 4,000,000 kms.
