After many years of working its Houndaller quarry at Hillhead, near Uffculme, Aggregate Industries now wants to change the surface water management plan for the site – a site with the same type of sand and gravel that exists at Straitgate Farm – as this recent Scoping Opinion request PRE/1659/2023 to Devon County Council reveals:
The approved restoration contours, Drawing No. 2285/ROMP/4C located within Appendix C, illustrates the site falling west to east, with a low point on the south-western boundary of the site. This is causing surface water to pond within the south-western part of the site (Phase 6). Therefore, Aggregate Industries are proposing to amend the surface water management plan for the site, to include a perimeter surface water drainage ditch running northwards from the south-west corner of Phase 6 along the western edge of the site into Houndaller Plantation Pond. There will be a slight amendment to the alignment of the final land form contours for Phases 6,7 and 8, to enable surface water to be shed to the perimeter surface water drainage ditch. 3.2.3
Of course, it’s not unusual for surface water to pond at quarries. What quarry doesn’t have water?
Even for Straitgate Farm, Aggregate Industries’ plans positively encourage water bodies – for its surface water management and restoration plans:
ephemeral water bodies and species-rich wet grassland to be encouraged in low-lying infiltration areas (in the base of the depressions)
In fact, the creation of infiltration areas on the eastern boundary of the Straitgate site forms an integral part of the company’s flood mitigation scheme. At the Public Inquiry the Inspectors were told by Aggregate Industries’ hydrogeology witness that standing water will remain in these areas for up to 15 days in the summer and 24 days in the winter.
However, and as we have previously posted, the Planning Inspectors stipulated – for aircraft safeguarding reasons – that:
Bizarrely, therefore, Aggregate Industries’ plans for Straitgate cannot be implemented without breaking one of the planning conditions.
As we remarked:
This condition, which Aggregate Industries must comply with if it is to quarry Straitgate Farm, is clear and unambiguous. It is not limited by the size or duration of any water body – large or small, permanent or temporary.
The company's inability to control surface water at Houndaller, highlights the problem: How will Aggregate Industries be able to comply with condition 25 at Straitgate ?
