Aggregate Industries’ planning application for an extension to Chard Junction Quarry in Dorset submitted in 2019, WD/D/19/000451, has been the subject of a number of posts.
The application to quarry some 830,000 tonnes of sand and gravel at Westford Park Farm over some 7 years will now be determined on 12 July 2021.
The application has been recommended for approval – despite the significant harm it would cause to the Dorset AONB, as recognised by various statutory consultees. The officer’s report says:
16.1 it is recognised that notwithstanding mitigation measures, the proposed development will result in harm to the visual amenity and landscape character of the AONB. It is noted that great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty of the AONB. Whilst the notable impacts on visual amenity and landscape character of the area are recognised, it is considered that there are significant sustainability benefits in the retention of a sand and gravel quarry within this location. These benefits, in combination with the uniqueness of the mineral deposit, are considered to represent exceptional circumstances that would be in the public interest. It is considered that any harm to the AONB would be outweighed by these exceptional circumstances and the development being in the public interest. The proposal is therefore seen to be in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the NPPF and Policy DM4 of BDPMS.
The recommendation is therefore that planning permission be granted "subject to conditions and s106", the Section 106 agreement to include:
A financial contribution of £7500 per annum over 10 years for the management of the AONB.
Why has this application been recommended for approval?
The proposal represents the extension of an existing and established quarry;
Although this proposal would result in a residual landscape character and visual impact, the proposal would bring sustainability benefits from a reduction in the haulage distance of mineral by HGV’s;
The proposal would have no adverse impact on the ecological, archaeological or hydrological interests of the locality;
There is not considered to be any significant harm to residential amenity;
There are no material considerations which would warrant refusal of this application.
Various documents have been uploaded to the application site since we last posted, including a letter from Aggregate Industries dated 20 October 2020, from the same person overseeing the Straitgate Farm application. This letter set out the company’s "understanding of the sustainability benefits of maintaining production at Chard Junction", which apparently include "significant mileage benefits, which would avoid increases in CO2 and NOx emissions". The company claimed:
Chard Junction Quarry is the only sand and gravel quarry on the west side of Dorset and is located on the border with Somerset and in close proximity to Devon. It therefore plays a very significant role in supplying sand and gravel into both these counties.
However, Dorset Council's Minerals Officer disagreed:
In terms of supply of construction aggregate, it appears that there is a supply available in Mid-Devon, both existing and allocated. There are also sources of crushed rock. There is no obvious reason that a quarry in central or south-eastern Dorset would have to supply Devon with construction aggregate.
The view of Devon County Council’s Mineral Planning Authority – contained in the officer's report – was:
8.3 The Chard Junction site will supply some sand and gravel into eastern Devon as it will be closer to places such as Axminster than quarries in Devon operated by Aggregate Industries (e.g Blackhill in the past, Hillhead now). The site will also supply into Somerset. It is therefore of benefit to Devon if its supply can be maintained through an extension as it will help to limit, albeit to a small degree, pressure on our reserves. Having said that, the Devon Minerals Plan provides enough through its allocations to maintain our landbank without counting on Chard Junction extension being approved. It may be that, if Chard Junction closes, then there will be more demand placed on Devon S&G quarries, meaning their reserves are depleted faster than expected. In summary, in principle we support the proposal as it will assist in maintaining a regional supply of material, but if permission were refused, the knock on effect for Devon is likely to be quite small.
How small? Aggregate Industries claimed:
Total sales in 2019 were 123,041 tonnes of which 114,646 tonnes were exported to Devon and Somerset, by comparison only 1,248 tonnes was supplied to Dorset.
Small indeed. Would hospitals go unbuilt if permission were refused? Unlikely. Aggregate Industries was pushed into admitting, in a second letter, that:
approximately 90% of Chard’s output is into the decorative market
And for that "decorative market", Dorset Council now recommends the defacement of the Dorset AONB. It surely is a crazy screwed-up world.
EDIT 13.7.21 Decision on Chard Junction Quarry extension delayed
