Aggregate Industries’ plans for Straitgate Farm positively encourage the creation of water bodies – for surface water management and restoration. However, for Airport Safeguarding reasons, the Planning Inspectors only granted permission to quarry Straitgate on the condition that:
25. No water body shall be created within the site other than the approved weigh bridge lagoon.
As we posted a year ago:
This condition... is clear and unambiguous. It is not limited by the size or duration of any water body – large or small, permanent or temporary.
We have since posted We all know Aggregate Industries will have difficulty complying with Straitgate’s ‘no water body’ condition – Google Earth images confirm why.
In June last year, we posted – here and here – about the ponding problems Aggregate Industries has suffered at Houndaller quarry at Hillhead, near Uffculme, where the company is extracting the same type of sand and gravel available at Straitgate.
What’s the scale of the problem? Devon County Council's monitoring report for Hillhead Quarry in 2022 provided this photo:
The latest monitoring report for the site issued this week reveals that the ponding problems remain ongoing and are slowing down restoration:
4.16 ...The water is ponding in this Phase and the operator would like to direct this water to Houndaller Pond, north of the farmhouse, in order to complete restoration. Therefore, a non-material amendment was submitted in order to alter the phasing of working. The has resulted in the operator entering the western end of Phase 8 to allow water to move from Phase 6, into Phase 7 and 8 temporarily whilst restoration is under way. Originally, working in Phase 8 was to commence at the eastern end. Alterations to allow water to enter Houndaller Pond will need to be subject to a full application.4.17 Despite the ponding, work has begun on restoring Phase 6 at the eastern end to the final restoration levels. It is anticipated this will be completed in 2025, however, it is understood the ponding is slowing this down...
The report didn't say if the ponding problem had worsened. However, photos taken this week, above and below, show that it has:
Furthermore, the water is attracting ducks and gulls – the sort of species that would be particularly hazardous at Straitgate, being just 200m below the landing approach for Exeter Airport.
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Even without its plans that encourage water bodies at Straitgate, Aggregate Industries’ problems at Hillhead – and the ponding at its other sand and gravel sites in Devon for that matter – demonstrate the company hasn’t a ghost of a chance of complying with condition 25 at Straitgate.
