Mineral extraction at Straitgate Farm is permitted to a level down to a guesstimate of the maximum water table – the MWWT.
In their appeal decision, the Planning Inspectors said:
the MWWT grid would be updated as necessary to reflect any higher groundwater readings.
Updated as necessary. Planning condition 28 for the Straitgate permission states:
Prior to the commencement of any soil stripping on any phase of the development, a review of the Maximum Winter Water Table (MWWT) grid (being the hydrogeologically modelled surface of the maximum winter water table based on the highest recorded winter groundwater levels) shall be submitted to the Mineral Planning Authority for its approval in writing.
In April, we posted that Straitgate groundwater levels were currently not being monitored, despite having the wettest March since 1981.
Last month, the Environment Agency – in its Monthly water situation report: England October 2023 – reported that rainfall in the South West over the period November 2022 to October 2023 has been "Exceptionally high".
What impact has all this rainfall had on the water table at Straitgate? Has the MWWT been exceeded again – as it has been in the past?
No one knows. Aggregate Industries has not monitored groundwater levels at Straitgate since March 2022, the best part of 2 years.
The company has confirmed:
...we are not currently undertaking water monitoring at Straitgate. This is because there is no requirement to monitor at present as we have not yet started to implement our planning permission and therefore, the monitoring requirements within that permission have not yet started...However, it will be our intention during the course of 2024 and 2025 to undertake the 12 months of baseline monitoring that is required, and to seek approval of the required schemes so that the permission can be implemented prior to the January 2026 deadline.
The MWWT is meant to reflect the maximum water table. Clearly – absent almost 2 years of groundwater monitoring during exceptionally wet periods – there is a high chance it doesn't.
It was the wettest October across England since 2000 with rainfall totals well above average.
— HydrometryEA (@HydrometryEA) November 16, 2023
Average rainfall was 147.2mm which represents 192% of the 1961 to 1990 LTA for the time of year.
River levels responded rapidly.
See the report detail here 👇https://t.co/5yi16F1yaO pic.twitter.com/uKiDWsKHb8
