ROADS AND DEVELOPMENT SUB-COMMITTEE ITEM 8
6TH NOVEMBER 1989
INFILL OF TWO DISUSED CHALK PITS WITH INERT WASTE ON LAND AT NORTH
CHARFORD DROVE, BREAMORE, NEAR FORDINGBRIDGE (APPLICATION NOS. 41760
AND 41764)
REPORT OF THE COUNTY PLANNING OFFICER
1. Two planning applications have been made to infill two disused
chalk pits at North Charford Drove, Breamore with inert waste and
restore to original ground level and to plant trees to form spinneys.
Since these are two closely related sites I propose to deal with the
applications together.
2. The sites, illustrated on the attached plan, are on opposite
sides of North Charford Drove about 400 metres west of its junction
with the A338. North Charford Drove is a private metalled road,
which is also a bridleway, about two kilometres to the north of
Breamore near the Wiltshire/Hampshire border. The pits have recently
been subject to fly-tipping resulting in their untidy appearance and
both have a well developed fringe of trees and shrubs.
3. Site 1 is a deep chalk pit with vertical cliffs. At the eastern
end of the pit, there are a number of mature Wych Elms. Site 2
supports a number of trees and shrubs at its eastern end. In order
to protect the most important trees the applicant has agreed to
provide a plan showing the location of all the existing trees and
shrubs, the extent of the proposed tipping and the finished tipping
levels.
4. It is proposed to infill the pits and restore them to
surrounding ground levels and plant with broad leaved trees.
No details are provided in the applications of the volume of fill,
the anticipated duration of tipping operations and the number of
vehicles likely to visit the site on a daily basis. However, I
estimate that site 1 has a void capacity of 18,000 cubic metres and
site 2 30,000 cubic metres. The sites would be approached from North
Charford Drove using the existing tracks into the pits.
Consultations
5. The County Surveyor raises no highway or waste disposal
objections subject to conditions.
6. The Nature Conservancy Council objects to the applications on
the grounds that:
(i) the tipping operations will result in the loss of
variety of trees and shrubs, including mature Wych Elms,
which have become a rarity and should be conserved;
(ii) inadequate details are provided concerning the nature of
the waste to be tipped thus risking pollution of nature
conservation and groun1 water supplies.
7. Wessex Rivers raises no objection to the applications subject to
tipped materials being restricted to totally inert excavated and
naturally occurring materials.
8. The New Forest District Council's Environmental Health Officer
raises no objection subject to a restriction on the hours of working.
9. Breamore Parish Council raises no objection subject to
conditions.
10. I have received a letter from Councillor Sheldon expressing
concern about the type of waste to be tipped and the extra traffic
and disturbance in the area. He, therefore, suggests that in the
event of planning permission being granted tipping be restricted to
inert waste and the site operator being responsible for any repairs
or damage to the public highway.
11. The observations of the County Recreation Officer are awaited.
12. The policies of the Waste Management Plan are appropriate
including:-
"Policy 12: The County Council will seek to ensure through the
planning permission ... procedures that waste disposal
developments do not give rise to unacceptable environmental
impact ... ."
"Policy 13: The County Council will require landfill and other
temporary waste disposal sites to be restored to a satisfactory
environmental standard and to a state suitable for an
appropriate after-use."
District Council's Comments
13. The New Forest District Council raises no objection.
County Planning Officer's Comments
14. I am satisfied that the infilling of the pits is acceptable,
subject to the retention of the mature trees around the perimeter and
alongside the access tracks leading to the site. I believe that this
would be sufficient to overcome the objection of the Nature
Conservancy Council.
15. In recognition of the lack of detail provided in the application
I intend to impose a number of conditions on the planning consent to
ensure that tipping is carried out in an environmentally acceptable
manner and the sites satisfactorily restored.
16. I note the point made by Councillor Sheldon that the site
operator should be responsible for repairing any damage to roads
resulting from tipping traffic. However, I do not consider that this
would be appropriate in this case since North Charford Drove is a
private track and the A338 is a local lorry route.
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RECOMMENDATION
17. I recommend that, subject to no substantial objection by
outstanding consultees and to the applicant submitting a satisfactory
plan establishing the location of existing trees and shrubs on the
sites, and the extent and final levels of tipping, planning
application nos 41760 and 41764 be approved subject to the following
conditions:
1. Time Limit (1.2.1)
2. Development be carried out in accordance with amended
plans and details (2.1.2)
3. Time Limit of completion (8.3.2) [Insert: Tipping
operations ... 30th November 1990 ... condition 6 ... six
months.]
4. No materials shall be brought on the site for disposal
apart from naturally occurring earth spoils except with the
prior approval of the Local Planning Authority.
5. No operations should take place except in accordance with
the scheme of tipping approved by the Local Planning
Authority in writing before any tipping operations commence
on site and such schemes shall include provision for:-
(i) defining the boundary of the tipping areas;
(ii) determining the proposed finished level of
tipped material; and
(iii)measures to be taken to drain the restored sites.
6. Implementation of restoration scheme (8.3.16) (3)
[Insert: 1 metre]
7. Environmental control: Time Limit Control Noise
(8.3.33) [Insert: Between 0730-1800 hours Mondays to
Fridays, or 0730-1230 hours Saturdays. No such operation
should take place on Sundays or recognised Public
Holidays.]
8. Environmental Control: Time Limit Control Noise (8.3.33)
9. A scheme of landscaping and tree planting shall be
approved by the Local Planning Authority before operations
on the sites commence, or within such longer period of time
as the Local Planning Authority in consultation with the
site operator shall determine, and such schemes shall
include amongst other matters, provision for:
(i) the retention of as many existing trees around
the perimeter of the sites as possible and
measures to protect these trees from damage
during tipping operations;
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(ii) additional tree and shrub planting on the
restored land to assist the merging back of the
site into the local landscape;
(iii)the species, type and number of trees and shrubs
to be planted;
(iv) a timetable within which the scheme shall be
carried out.
MD1.COM
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