Contact: Peter Chadwick, ext 6728

1. Summary

1.1 Planning permission is sought for the relocation of the landfill gas flare at Fair Oak Landfill Site. The flare is necessary for landfill gas control and the recommendation is to grant planning permission, subject to conditions.

2. Site and Proposals

2.1 The Fair Oak sandpit site, as shown on the attached plan, totals an area of 13.5 hectares adjacent to Knowle Lane. Access to the site is via the neighbouring golf course. The nearest houses adjoin the site.

2.2 Planning permission for sand extraction and landfill, with restoration to agriculture, was approved in 1989. Following sand extraction the tipping cells are engineered and clay-lined. The range of waste includes domestic, industrial and commercial wastes. The sand extraction is almost complete, and the site is now primarily a landfill site.

2.3 The proposal is to install a gas flare at the site. The flare would measure 7.85 metres in height and would be located in the south-east corner of the site.

3. Development Plan

3.1 Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan (Adopted December 1998) Policy 53 concerns ancillary waste development.

4. Consultations

4.1 Eastleigh Borough Council's comments are awaited.

4.2 Fair Oak and Horton Heath Parish Council raises no objection.

4.3 The Environment Agency welcomes the proposal as a solution to the gas odour problems associated with the site.

4.4 Eastleigh Borough Council's Environmental Health Officer supports the proposal in principle, however considers further information is required on noise in order to formulate suitable conditions.

4.5 The Highways Adviser raises no objection.

4.6 Both the local Members, Councillor Boulton and Councillor Mason (adjoining) have been informed.

5. Representations

5.1 There has been a letter from a local resident not raising any objection, subject to control over noise.

6. Chief Planning Adviser's Comments

6.1 There is a clear need for landfill gas control measures. The main issues are impacts on the locality in terms of visual impact and noise. In addition the site has suffered from odour problems in the past from gas, which will be addressed through having the flare.

6.2 The location of the flare is close to the current tipping and is on the other side of the site from the nearest house. It is next to the location of the temporary flare. The location is not visually intrusive. The issue of noise can be covered by condition, and the flare will address odour problems which have arisen at the site.

Recommendation

That planning permission for the replacement of landfill gas flare at Fair Oak Landfill Site, Mortimer Lane, Fair Oak (Application No: 17314/008) be granted, subject to the following conditions:

(1) The permission hereby permitted shall be for a temporary period expiring on 31 December 2008 or when the flare is no longer required, whichever is the sooner. Within six months of the cessation of use the gas flare and hardstandings shall be removed and the land restored.

Reason: In the interests of visual amenity and to ensure restoration of the site.

(2) Within three months of the date of this consent, a noise monitoring and mitigation scheme shall be submitted to the Waste Planning Authority for approval in writing. The scheme shall be implemented as approved for the operational life of the gas flare.

Reason: To protect amenity of neighbouring householders.

8090/PDC

APPENDIX

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

Policy 53

The Waste Planning Authorities will permit plant, machinery, buildings and other development ancillary to waste disposal, processing and transfer facilities within the boundary of or adjacent to the facility, provided that:

(i) the development is required solely in connection with the operation, administration or servicing of the waste facility; and

(ii) any plant, machinery, building or other structure is to be designed, constructed and landscaped so as to minimise any adverse impact on the amenities of the area and, in any case, it would not be likely to give rise to any unacceptable environmental or traffic impact or other detrimental effect; and

(iii) the size, type and nature of the development are appropriate to the scale of the waste facility for which it is required; and

(iv) any plant, machinery, building or other structure would be removed as soon as the use of the waste facility has ceased and the site would be restored to a satisfactory condition suitable for an agreed beneficial after-use.