The document "Guidance on the planning for mineral extraction in plan making and the application process" is published by the Government. Paragraph: 010 Reference ID: 27-010-20140306 says:
The suitability of each proposed site, whether an extension to an existing site or a new site, must be considered on its individual merits, taking into account issues such as:* need for the specific mineral...
Bearing this in mind, it is interesting to note that barely six months ago the very same planning manager behind Aggregate Industries’ application to quarry Straitgate Farm admitted to Dorset Council that:
We do not dispute that there is plenty of sand and gravel in Devon
In which case, what on earth is the point in trying to wrestle a relatively small and ever-decreasing amount of sand and gravel from the quite obviously constrained site at Straitgate Farm, risking a catalogue of harm to the surrounding community, pumping goodness knows how much pollution and CO2 into the atmosphere, with each truckload of as-dug material necessitating a round trip of 46 miles to the processing plant?
