Archived decisions

Contact: Peter Chadwick, ext 6728

1. Summary

1.1 Planning permission is sought to develop a topsoil and concrete recycling facility for a five year period at Blackmoor Farm Estate. The applicant would relocate from an existing site at Headley Down. The recommendation is to refuse planning permission because it would be contrary to Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) policies and have an unacceptable impact on the amenity of local residents.

2. Site and Proposal

2.1 The site, illustrated on the attached plan, comprises an area of 0.5 hectares on the Blackmoor Farm Estate, north of Greatham. Part of the site was bunded and had been used for timber storage, the remainder is arable farmland. The site is within the East Hampshire AONB. The nearest house is about 90 metres from the site. There is also a house alongside the proposed access road.

2.2 Access to the site would be via a private estate road to Blackmoor Road and then to the A325.

2.3 The proposal is to use the site for soil and concrete recycling. The soil would be screened by a mobile screening plant and the concrete stockpiled and crushed periodically by a mobile crushing plant. There would be a portacabin office on site. Construction waste would be brought to the site and stockpiled for recycling.

2.4 The proposal is to relocate from the applicant's existing facility at Headley Down. The relocation is necessary due to a Compulsory Purchase Order by East Hampshire District Council.

2.5 The site would generate approximately 23 lorry trips per day. However, the lorries would be based at the applicant's premises at Bordon and there would be no maintenance of vehicles at the application site.

2.6 The proposed hours of working would be 0800 to 1630 Monday to Friday and 0800 to 1100 Saturday, with no working on Sunday or Bank holidays. Permission is sought for a five year period.

3. Development Plan

3.1 Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policy 46 concerns proposals for waste recycling. Policy 8 concerns proposals for waste development within AONBs (see attached appendix).

4. Consultations

4.1 The County Surveyor (Highways) raises no objection.

4.2 Environment Agency: comments awaited.

4.3 English Nature comments that statutory nature conservation sites are about 0.5 kilometres from the site. It raises no objection as the proposed development is unlikely to have a significant effect on these areas.

4.4 The East Hampshire AONB Officer comments that the site is likely to be within the proposed National Park and does not consider that the proposals meet Policy 46 of the Minerals and Waste Local Plan and therefore objects to the proposal. Particular concern is raised about noise and visual impact; lorry traffic and potential for lorries to use narrow lanes towards Alton.

4.5 East Hampshire District Council's Environmental Health Officer comments that the concrete crusher is authorised under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 with controls for dust, but the required water source is not indicated in the application. In addition, the soil screener is not controlled by such authorisation. Serious concerns are raised about the noise study accompanying the planning application and consequently would recommend refusal of planning permission.

4.6 Whitehill Town Council raises objection on grounds of additional traffic on the A325 and removal of hedgerows and trees. If allowed, conditions would be necessary to control noise, dust nuisance, wheel washing facilities and require the reinstatement to arable land.

4.7 Selborne Parish Council objects to the application. It has serious fears for the safety of residents of Blackmoor and Oakhanger from lorries travelling to Alton.

4.8 Greatham Parish Council objects on the following grounds:

(i) site currently 70% arable; there have been no buildings since the war and timber yard use has been minimal;

(ii) no consideration of impact of dust and vibration on local residents;

(iii) site contains protected species, an accurate survey required;

(iv) site is within AONB and could be within National Park;

(v) site visible from five houses, and landscaping would not be effective within time frame;

(vi) slow moving traffic emerging onto A325 is likely to cause serious accidents; and

(vii) hydrology has not been considered, could have impact on Woolmer Pond.

The Parish Council concludes that the proposed development is completely unacceptable.

4.9 A community statement of objection has been received with 107 signatures. The statement raises objection to the application on the following grounds:

(i) does not conform to development plan;

(ii) since the war wholly agricultural, not brownfield or previously developed;

(iii) will cause high level of noise in a rural area;

(iv) dust from concrete crusher not mentioned;

(v) vibration effects from machinery not mentioned;

(vi) number of protected species on the site not mentioned;

(vii) development does not fit into surroundings, visible from several houses, footpath and road;

(viii) bund and fence will be incompatible in the landscape and planting will not be effective within five years;

(ix) lorries using access road visible from long distances;

(x) Blackmoor/A325 junction is dangerous and lorries turning onto A325 will be a serious hazard;

(xi) serious concerns about hydrology and impact on Woolmer Pond; and

(xii) given history of applicant's site at Headley, do not believe this site would be vacated after five years.

4.10 Also, 29 letters of objection have been received from local residents raising the same issues as in the community statement of objection. One resident has had the noise report reviewed by a noise consultant who concluded that the noise report is incomplete, partial in its technical assessment and incorrect in its conclusions. The review was attached to the letter of objection.

5. District Council's Views

5.1 East Hampshire District Council objects to the application (detailed grounds are awaited).

6. County Planning Officer's Comments

6.1 There is a strong need for recycling facilities and this need will increase if national and County Council targets for increased recycling and reducing landfill are to be met.

6.2 This application has to be considered in relation to Development Plan policy. The key policies are Policies 8 and 46 of the Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan.

6.3 Policy 8 concerns waste development within AONBs and states that permission will not be granted save when the development would not prejudice the purpose of the designation and there is an overriding need in the public interest. The proposal would have a detrimental impact in terms of visual intrusion, notwithstanding the proposed landscaping, and noise and disturbance in a rural area. In these ways it would be prejudicial to the AONB.

6.4 Policy 46 states that permission will normally be granted for recycling provided the criteria in the policy are met. The main locational criteria are that such facilities should be on industrial land, land in the countryside already disturbed by permanent development (brownfield) or at a landfill site. The applicant's view is that part of the site is brownfield, being bunded and with some hard surfacing and having formerly been used as a timber yard. Whilst this part of the site has been disturbed, the majority of the application site is in arable use, and the timber yard use is extremely small scale. It is not considered that the site meets the locational criteria of the policy.

6.5 In addition, it is considered that there would be an unacceptable disturbance to local residents through noise, and the operations, stockpiles and bunding would be intrusive, the landscaping taking some time to mature. Lorry traffic would cause particular disturbance to the house alongside the haul road. Further information is required concerning the nature conservation interests at the site. However, it is possible that these interests can be suitably protected by conditions requiring translocation and/or the timing of the development work.

6.6 In conclusion, a balance has to be struck between the policy issues, including the location in the AONB, and the need for the proposal. Some of the matters, such as noise, etc, could be satisfactorily addressed by conditions. Moreover, the use of agricultural land may not be so material if the site and operation were not such an intrusive feature within an AONB. Overall, the undoubted need for recycled products does not override the latter planning considerations.

Recommendation

That planning permission in respect of the proposed change of use of former timber yard and arable land to topsoil and concrete recycling site with associated plant, facilities, bund and landscaping at the former timber yard, Blackmoor Farm Estate, Blackmoor, Hampshire (Application No. F36756/CMA) be refused for the following reasons:

1. The proposal is contrary to Policy 8 of the Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan in that the adverse visual intrusion and disturbance would be prejudicial to the East Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and there is no overriding need in the public interest.

2. The proposal is contrary to Policy 46 of the Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan in that the site does not meet the locational criteria in the policy and there would be an unacceptable impact on local residential amenity through noise, disturbance and visual intrusion.

6821/PDC

HAMPSHIRE, PORTSMOUTH AND SOUTHAMPTON MINERALS AND WASTE LOCAL PLAN (ADOPTED 17 DECEMBER 1998)

Policy 8

Applications for planning permission for minerals or waste development in the following areas will not be granted save when the development would not prejudice the purpose of the designation and where there is an overriding need for the development to take place in the public interest:

(i) the New Forest Heritage Area;

(ii) Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty;

(iii) National Nature Reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Areas, Special Areas of Conservation and Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites);

(iv) Scheduled Ancient Monuments and their settings;

(v) Conservation Areas, Listed Buildings, and sites on the National Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

Policy 46

The Waste Planning Authorities will normally permit the use of land and the erection of plant and buildings for the recycling, transfer, storage and other treatment or handling of waste (excluding waste processing facilities covered by Policy 45) provided that:

(i) the proposed site is located near to the likely source(s) of waste and/or the market(s) for the recycled or recovered materials; and

(ii) the proposed site is located close to and has adequate access to the Hampshire Lorry Route Network (as shown on the proposals map), so that the development would not be likely to cause unacceptable traffic impact (including the environmental impact of traffic) on the local highway network; and

(iii) the proposed site is located:

(a) within an existing industrial site or on land which is permitted or allocated for industrial development; or

(b) within an area of land in the countryside that has already been disturbed by permanent development (a brownfield site); or

(c) at a waste disposal landfill or landraising site provided that the proposed development is connected with the waste disposal operation and is for a temporary period commensurate with the operational life of the waste disposal facility; and

(iv) the proposed site is located and the proposal includes adequate measures to ensure that no unacceptable impact would be likely to be caused to the occupants or users of houses, other residential buildings, schools, hospitals and other environmentally sensitive buildings and land uses by reason of noise, dust, fumes, smell or other cause; and

(v) the proposed site is located so as to avoid unacceptable impact on landscape, nature conservation and archaeological interests; and

(vi) the proposed site is located and the proposal includes adequate measures to ensure that there would be no significant risk of pollution or danger to public health or safety; and

(vii) the proposed site is located and, if necessary, the proposal includes landscaping measures to ensure that the development would not cause unacceptable visual intrusion.