Piezometer PZ2017/03, at the NE corner of Phase 1 and SE corner of Phase 2, is obviously unable to provide any meaningful information on how far to the west of this point the maximum groundwater levels would allow sufficient depth for mineral extraction, given water levels here have reached ground level.Clearly, therefore, there need to be further boreholes drilled at the redrawn eastern boundary of the extraction area – to fulfil Condition 30, ie. so that there are piezometers at "each corner of each working sub-phase".
In 1965, Straitgate Farm near Ottery St Mary in Devon was bought by ECC Quarries in the hope it would yield 20 million tonnes of sand & gravel. In 2001, Straitgate Action Group was formed to oppose the development and its potential harm to water supplies, ancient wetland habitats, protected species and much more. In 2023, Aggregate Industries – owned by Swiss giant Holcim – was finally granted permission to quarry just 1 million tonnes following a public inquiry. This blog records the story.
Monday 22 April 2024
Two months on – PZ2017/03 is STILL underwater
How do companies make themselves look green?
Remove air pollutantsReduce urban temperaturesReduce energy consumptionImprove biodiversityAttenuate rain waterReduce noiseetc, etc
The magical #livngwall of the Musee du quai Branly #Paris is a 200m long by 12m tall carpet of exotic #biodiversity which echoes the diversity of the artists who exhibit at the museum. #sustainability #architecture #sustainablearchitecture#greenwall #greenroofs #verticalgarden pic.twitter.com/xEF6vTeCle
— SUSTAINABILITYBAE (@sustbae) October 7, 2021
Tuesday 16 April 2024
Aggregate Industries resumes sustainability reporting
... go to Aggregate Industries’ Sustainability Reports and Policies page and what do we now find? Not the back catalogue of sustainability reports previously there, nor a shiny new one for 2019.What we find instead is parent LafargeHolcim’s 2019 report – while Aggregate Industries’ CO2 numbers are suddenly nowhere to be found.We can obviously help with the back catalogue of reports – 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2000 – plotting Aggregate Industries’ CO2 journey: a company now emitting in the region of 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 each year, more than 5 times the amount it did in 1999.But has Aggregate Industries really given up reporting carbon emissions?Is it because the numbers stubbornly refused to fall despite best efforts, or is it because the company stubbornly refused to embrace more sustainable ways?Aggregate Industries' application to quarry Straitgate Farm would of course indicate the latter.
Investments within our cement plant and efficiency improvements across all business areas have helped to reduce emissions compared to our 2020 baseline.
Our Hillhead Quarry, near Cullompton in Devon, has a new woodland after we teamed up with a group of local residents and members of local environmental group the Uffculme Green Team, to plant around 1,100 trees. Native species including English oak, hornbeam, hazel, blackthorn, hawthorn and holly were planted to provide more wildlife-friendly habitat in the area. The scheme will benefit all species, but in particular the hazel dormouse, an elusive and declining species whose numbers have dropped by 50 per cent since the millennium and for which the south-west is somewhat of a stronghold.
We will strive to make a positive impact on those communities where we live and operate.We also recognise that our operations can have a negative impact on some of our neighbouring communities and we are committed to proactively eliminating or minimising this impact, wherever possible. We already have stringent planning obligations in place at many of our sites, which limit operating hours, number of truck movements, noise levels and dust emissions. However, we are committed to going above and beyond legal compliance which we see as our minimum requirement. We already do this in many cases and proactively engage with our local communities through meetings, open days and school visits. We also recognise that we are able to contribute to our neighbouring communities by donating staff time for volunteering activities, materials to help with local projects as well as monetary contributions. We are not only committed to continuing this but we will build on these successes.
Wednesday 10 April 2024
Aggregate Industries’ Straitgate update for March
Aggregate Industries appoints a new sustainability director, again
Welcome to Kirstin McCarthy, who joins ExCo team as our Sustainability Director, an exciting role to help deliver our ambition of becoming a leading sustainable business. Find out more about her career: https://t.co/xC95ylJoe5 #Construction #PeopleMoves pic.twitter.com/wIy84wSUTw
— Aggregate Industries (@AggregateUK) June 7, 2021
This appointment is placing us in a unique position at the forefront of our industry and we must continue challenging ourselves to continuously reduce our carbon footprint through innovation, commitment and personal accountability.
I look forward to making my mark as the newest member of the executive committee and contributing to building a greener, smarter world for all.
My name is Kirstin McCarthy and I am the sustainability director at Aggregate Industries. I sit on the executive committee and I’m responsible for improving and accelerating our sustainability performance. I took a key interest in this application owing to some of the environmental concerns raised by the community. I have personally reviewed the environmental statement and feedback to date. My role here today is to provide assurance that this scheme will not have the detrimental effect that has been described by some of our objectors and most importantly I am here to listen to the concerns raised by our neighbours so that we can understand what work is required with the community to hopefully allay some of these fears.... etc etcStraitgate is sustainable because it’s about Devon making its contribution to the mineral supply in an environmentally responsible manner
Anna’s drive to really make a difference and proven ability to see the big picture will complement the work being done across the Group to achieve our targets in sustainability.
This is an exciting time to join Kier, a business I’ve long admired. With so much great work already underway, I’m looking forward to bringing my experience to the role and leading on the next steps of Kier’s sustainability journey for the Construction business.
Anna brings more than 20 years’ experience in sustainability within the construction industry and is responsible for accelerating the company’s journey to net-zero before 2050.
I’m happy to share that I'm starting a new position as Director of Sustainability at Sandals Resorts International!
Is there anybody left working at Aggregate Industries who has played a meaningful part in putting together the plans to quarry Straitgate Farm?
Commenting on her new role, Ms Baker said: ‘Aggregate Industries is a future-focused and innovative company with sustainability at the heart of its vision. I’m thrilled to be joining this business and look forward to working alongside the talented teams here to deliver an ambitious sustainability agenda that will add real value for our customers and communities.’
Wednesday 3 April 2024
What Straitgate and 5 other mineral appeal decisions tell us – says AI’s KC
More than 300 delegates, in person and on-line, attended the 2023 MPA/RTPI conference ‘Minerals Planning at a Crossroads’ on 15 June in London to hear from a range of expert speakers about the challenges facing minerals planning and how these may be met.
Richard Kimblin KC returns to the Minerals Planning Conference this year to provide the legal update. Richard will offer insight on legal issues arising from recent minerals planning appeals, issues which developers and decision-makers can help each other to avoid and a way to avoid lawyers.Clearly, those poor multinational mineral companies need as much help as possible.
"...we are satisfied that a condition requiring the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil as fuel would meet the tests in the Framework. On this basis the proposal would accord with Policy M20 of the DMP which requires development to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, climate change resilience and mitigation, including through minimising the atmospheric release of greenhouse gases" Straitgate at §138
Angry protestors at Pontypridd quarry extension draw ‘heavy police presence’
WATCH: Heavy police presence as crowds turn out to protest at Welsh quarry pic.twitter.com/hAtInp1hOq
— WalesOnline 🏴 (@WalesOnline) March 27, 2024
The inspector in the Craig yr Hesg Quarry appeal accepted that the quarry caused stress and anxiety to locals, but did not accept their evidence that blasting at the quarry caused damage to their homes, because photos of cracks in walls were not supported by a structural survey. In Dorset, the inspector acknowledged that the quarry would cause noise disturbances to residents— after scrutinising a noise impact assessment provided by the appellant.Hard evidence is the key, but this can be an unaffordable option for residents and individuals. Heledd Fychan, Member of the Senedd Cymru for South Wales Central recognised this when the inspector’s decision was delivered: “Glyncoch is not an affluent area, and the planning inspectorate were critical of the fact that no hard evidence was presented to support their testimony, other than the images,” she said. “Collating such evidence is costly, meaning that communities will always struggle to have their voices and views heard as part of an appeal process without the means to do so.She continues: “Their testimony was powerful, and included pictures of cracks that have appeared in their homes which they believe have been caused by powerful blasts at the quarry, clouds of dust above the site, thick dust covering outside tables and cars, and evidence on how the lorries from the quarry are impacting their lives.“I find it disappointing that the views of local residents have been completely disregarded in relation to the quarry. Economic drivers and a need for the aggregate have trumped their views, meaning that they will have to continue to suffer the impact of the quarry. A quarry that they have had to live with for decades, and a quarry they were told would close when the last application prior to this was made to extend its life.”
Protestors have been gathering near the site of the quarry this week, with dozens joining for a second day of action on Tuesday, March 26. Residents say they are worried about the quarry's impact on their health from silica dust and the proximity to houses and public amenities like schools. They also believe it could disrupt wildlife and cause traffic issues, as well as impacting public rights of way.Heidelberg Materials UK has said it has addressed wildlife concerns and that "strict restrictons" on blasting and air quality monitoring were in place as well as other measures to mitigate any negative impact on residents.On Tuesday around 40 people gathered near the fence by the quarry site and there was a heavy police presence in the area. Dr Andrew Thomas, a university lecturer in Cardiff, was one of those protesting and said: “It’s fairly peaceful. There are about 40 or 50 of us, families, adults, children. About the same number of police and enforcement officers, about 30 of them. There is a bit of a standoff, but there is no pushing or shoving.Dr Thomas said the Welsh Government's decision to permit expansion for 29 years after RCT council rejected the plans was "scandalous", adding that it will leave the site within touching distance of residents' gardens in Glyncoch."It’s been contained behind the mountain but the big controversy here is that this new land was used as a public right of way. So you have a working class community which is about 2,000 people who are literally 100 metres from the site, the legal distance from a quarry in the UK. There is a primary school which is 200m away too."This is encroaching into their back garden. This is totally NIMBY because it is literally in their back garden. It is literally two rugby pitches away."They’re impacted by blasting, which is felt right into their properties at least once a week. They’re also impacted by lorries going to and fro - it is a road which is only really fit for residential driving, not lorries. Their worry is how they are going to move the lorries into and from the new site. It’s a lot of unknowns and as soon as you have that you impact mental health."I think once the dust starts blowing over and they are exposed to silica particles in their lungs… They’ve also lost a green space they were very sentimental about, their children’s upbringing playing in the woods is gone."It blocks off access to parts of the countryside and it hasn’t been made clear how public rights of way will be protected. Nothing has been communicated."I cannot believe this has been signed because it goes against everything the Welsh Government claims to support. It’s so sad. And there is no reason for it to have been done it this way. You can’t stop the planning but you can slow them down doing what they want to do. We don’t believe they care."
A former nurse who has lived virtually all her life in the shadow of a quarry has provided eloquent testimony to the health fears it provokes in her community ✍️ @ShiptonMartin https://t.co/LLIpktQZtw
— Nation.Cymru (@NationCymru) March 28, 2024
Judge quashes inspector’s green belt quarry refusal over biodiversity net gain ‘error’
Following a High Court challenge to our Inspector’s decision on this appeal dated 5th May 2023, the Court has ordered that the appeal be re-determined. This does not necessarily mean that the Inspector will reach a different overall decision.
Judge quashes inspector’s green belt quarry refusal over biodiversity net gain 'error'https://t.co/N6pbOmHAVD pic.twitter.com/nzKawLcbtK
— Planning Magazine (@PlanningMag) November 20, 2023
MP urges Aggregate Industries to change Leighton Buzzard quarry plans
Applications submitted to extend a quarry despite plans to turn it into a waterside park https://t.co/U1BaghjI3E pic.twitter.com/NCV2gx8irk
— LB Observer (@LBOnews) March 19, 2024
We have applied to extend our planning terms to enable an additional 3.3 million tonnes of specialist sands to be extracted from land south of Grovebury Quarry which we estimate would take between nine and 14 years, starting from July 2026 - with a further six years to complete full restoration.
I very much understand the concerns of Billington residents and have asked Aggregate Industries to mitigate their plans by moving the works further away from peoples homes. I am also pressing for the earliest possible restoration of the site for leisure and recreational use for Leighton Buzzard residents as well.
UK company directors may be personally liable for climate impacts, say lawyers
UK company directors may be liable for climate impacts, say lawyers #ClimateHarm#PierceTheCorporateVeil https://t.co/L5EF4sYzQQ
— @ElaineJohnson (@Elaine_EnvLaw) March 16, 2024
A legal opinion published this week found that board directors had duties to consider how their business affected and depended on nature. These included climate-related risks as well as wider risks to biodiversity, soils and water.The analysis said directors of UK firms faced serious personal consequences for breaching these duties, potentially including claims for damages or compensation by their shareholders.
Calls for greater use of recycled sand ‘to help preserve threatened natural resource’
The Sheehan Group have appealed for the construction industry to further embrace recycled sand – to help preserve the threatened natural resource - https://t.co/9gUwaEdm7s#WasteManagement #Waste #Recycling pic.twitter.com/ogp3IV0zWZ
— Access Waste Management (@access_waste) March 20, 2024