Formation of a vehicular access to Cae
Efa Lwyd sand and gravel
pit from the Class 3 County Highway at Allt Goch and associated engineering works.
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Judith
Humphreys
Link
to relevant background documents
Minutes:
Creation of
vehicular access to the Cae Efa Lwyd sand and gravel pit from the Class 3
County road at Allt Goch with ancillary engineering work.
(a)
The Senior Minerals and Waste Planning Officer
elaborated on the background of the application, noting that the existing
access on the site opened out to the Ffordd Clynnog unclassified road. He
explained that the Transportation Unit did not support using this access.
It was
explained that this application proposed a new vehicular access that would lead
directly to the quarry. The work on the
quarry would be for a period of four years and 100,000 tonnes a year with plans
to restore the access as agricultural land when the work ended.
It was
confirmed that the Transportation Unit supported the proposal and that it was
likely that the order on the road would need to be amended by means of the
Highways Act. This was to be discussed and agreed between the applicant and the
Transportation Unit.
It was
noted that the new access would now be further away from the residents of
Ffordd Clynnog and would ensure an access that would not come out onto an
unacceptable narrow road.
The development was acceptable in terms of relevant
local and national policies for the reasons noted in the report.
(b) Taking
advantage of the right to speak, an objector noted the following main points:
·
NO to the New Access;
·
That the proposed access was on a dangerous bend
and that a site visit should be carried out;
·
That the Committee was entitled to refuse the
application and the residents' way of life would be safe should the application
be refused.
(c) Taking advantage of the right to speak, the applicant’s
representative noted the following main points:-
·
That the existing access could continue to be used
but that the applicant had taken local concerns into consideration and had
submitted this application for a new access;
·
That the applicant was doing their best to re-open
the quarry under the best possible conditions.
(ch) The local member (not a member of this
Planning Committee), objected, noting the following main points:
·
There would be up to 20 lorry movements a day from
the access and it would disperse dust;
·
That the proposal on the site was oppressive and
undermined local amenities;
·
That local residents were working to beautify the
area to promote people's pride in their community and that such a development
undermined the work and defaced the area;
·
The need to consider the heading 'Management of
Growth and Development' in the LDP;
·
The need to act in accordance with Ffordd Gwynedd;
·
According to the United Nations, people were
entitled to a peaceful home without disruption and there may well be a
requirement on public authorities to take steps to reduce noise and pollution;
·
The heavy traffic would be dangerous and a source
of substantial pollution and would cause a nuisance;
·
The Committee was asked to refuse the application
in order to give the residents time to seek legal advice.
(d) In response to the
observations of the local member, the Senior Solicitor noted that an access
already existed under the original permission and that it was likely that the
applicant would use it should the application be refused. More impact would
derive from the existing access than the new access.
(dd) Proposed
and seconded to approve the application.
During the ensuing
discussion, the following main observations were noted by members:
·
That the existing access was narrow, could it be
widened?
·
Would it be possible to amend the condition which
restricted the use of the access by removing the right to use it between 08:00
and 12:00 on Saturdays, in fairness to the residents?
·
Would be voting against the recommendation due to
the impact on the amenities of residents and concerns about road safety;
·
The new access would be further away from the
nearest house, therefore it was an improvement.
(e) In response to the above observations,
the officers noted:
·
That the access exited onto an
unclassified road, therefore, a development right existed. The existing access was acceptable for
vehicles;
·
The condition which restricted the use
of the access could be amended. It was
explained that there would be no transporting movements on Saturday mornings,
only movements to enter the site for the maintenance of machinery;
·
The Transportation Unit had no
objection to the proposal in relation to road safety.
Resolved: To authorise the Senior Planning and Public
Protection Service Manager to approve the application subject to a range of
conditions as follows, and, where noted, to the submission of specific
information in accordance with the conditions prior to the commencement of the
development:
·
Commencement
within five years.
·
Permitted
operations and compliance with submitted Details / Plans;
·
Length of the
working period,
·
Mitigation
measures for local biodiversity, Badgers,
·
Development
ancillary to the use made of the land as a mine,
·
Soil treatment and
husbandry,
·
Drainage, measures
to prevent polluting local water courses,
·
Restoration and after-care
plan to be submitted prior to commencing use of the site for agricultural use
and restore the field boundaries (hedges and cloddiau),
·
Archaeological
mitigation and recording,
·
Use of the access
restricted to 08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and not at all on Saturdays,
Sundays or Bank Holidays,
·
Details of the
wheel washing facilities to be approved by the minerals planning authority,
noting the location, design, specification and controls to ensure that they are
used correctly,
·
Note to applicant
on highway requirements, the Badgers Act 1992 and NRW statutory advice to
prevent the local water environment from being polluted.
Supporting documents: