Contact: Katie Snell, ext 5938 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Planning permission is sought for the importation of chalk for storage, reuse and restoration at Renown Quarry, Well Lane, Lower Froyle. The main issues are the impact of chalk storage within the site and lorry traffic on the local road network. Although the storage of chalk would be acceptable it is concluded that the impact of the lorry traffic through Lower Froyle would be unacceptable, and that the local roads, the C70 and Well Lane, are unsuitable for taking the lorry traffic. Therefore it is recommended to refuse planning permission.

2. Site

2.1 The site, as shown on the attached plan, comprises an area of 0.2 hectares within the Renown Quarry site (area of approximately 6.2 hectares). The site has an Interim Development Order (IDO), with permission to extract chalk until 14 February 2042. The quarry provides Type 1 MOT fill material and liming chalk for agriculture. However, there has been no working for the last few years.

2.2 At the north of the site is a large area where extraction has taken place. This is now mainly recolonising chalk grassland. At the most southern end of the site is the entrance and processing yard including a large, open-walled drying shed and a small number of dilapidated out-buildings.

2.3 The nearest dwelling to the site is Searchlight Cottage, approximately 70 metres to the east of the site. Immediately adjacent and to the north-east of the dormant pit area is a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). Approximately 300 metres to the south is the village of Lower Froyle which is a Conservation Area.

3. Proposal

3.1 The applicant seeks permission to be able to import a quantity of chalk, approximately 20,000m³, from a disused Railway line near Alton into renown Quarry for storage, reuse and the restoration of levels to an extracted area of the site.

3.2 The majority of the chalk would be stored under the drying shed and turned into lime aggregate for agricultural use, reducing the need to extract virgin chalk from the site at a later date. The small remaining amount would be used for restoration purposes on-site.

3.3 The proposal is that the importation would be limited to 300 tonnes per day, which would result in around 30 loads i.e. 60 lorry movements per day.

4. Development Plan

4.1 Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011 (Review) (Adopted 27 March 2000), MW2 (i) and Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan (Adopted 17 December 1998), Policy 7 (ii and iv); criteria for satisfactory proposals, apply.

5. Consultations

5.1 East Hampshire District Council has no objection to the proposal subject to no Highways or Environmental Health objections.

5.2 The Environmental Health Officer for East Hampshire has no objection in principle subject to conditions being attached to control any dust, safeguard against soil contamination and restricting hours of operation.

5.3 Froyle Parish Council raises objection on unacceptable increased traffic volumes, such an operation is not suitable for the site, the imported material could be contaminated and so is likely to be unsuitable for agriultural use. The Council is also concerned to protect the ecology of the site.

5.4 The local Member, Councillor Kemp-Gee supports objection raised by Froyle Parish Council.

5.5 Environment Agency has no objection.

5.6 The Highways Adviser objects on the grounds that the use of the local highways network and junctions by HGVs is unacceptable.

6. Representations

6.1 Ten letters of objection have been received from local residents. The main reason being the inadequate highway access.

7. Chief Planning Adviser's Comments

7.1 The main issues with this application are the impact of the chalk storage within the site and the impact of the lorry traffic on the local road network.

7.2 It is considered that the storage of chalk within the site, and its proposed use would not cause environmental harm bearing in mind the quarry has permission for chalk extraction and processing.

7.3 However the lorries travelling to and from the quarry have to travel through Lower Froyle village and use country lanes. The lorry traffic through the village will have an adverse amenity impact for local residents. The local lanes are also unsuitable in highway safety terms for increased lorry traffic.

7.4 Therefore the recommendation is to refuse planning permission on the grounds of the adverse impact of the associated lorry traffic.

Recommendation

That planning permission in respect of importation of chalk for storage reuse and restoration at Renown Quarry, Well Lane, Lower Froyle(F22196/007/CMA) be refused for the following reason:

Reason for Refusal

1. The proposal is contrary to MW2 (i) Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011 (Review) (Adopted 27 March 2000) and Policy 7 (ii), 7 (iv) of the Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan in that it would have an unacceptable impact on the amenity of local residents by reason of increased traffic.

2. The proposal is contrary to Policy 7 (ii) of the Hampshire Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan in that inadequate visibility splays are provided at the junction of the site access with Well Lane and this would cause danger and inconvenience to users of the adjoining highway. Well Lane has a substandard junction with the C70 which is inadequate to safely accommodate the additional traffic which the proposed development would generate, and Well Lane and the C70 are of inadequate width and alignment to safely accomodate the type and amount of traffic likely to be generated by the proposal.

984/KS

Annex to Reason for Refusal

(as required by Article 22 of the Town and Country Planning

(General Procedure) Order 1995 - as amended)

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Hampshire County Structure Plan (Review) 2000

Policy MW2

Permission will be granted for minerals and waste development provided the mineral/waste planning authority is satisfied that:

(i) any adverse environmental or other impacts that the development would be likely to cause are outweighed by a clearly established need for the development; and

(ii) the proposals, where applicable, include a satisfactory scheme of working and landscaping including details of lorry routeing and, in all cases, include satisfactory measures to ensure that the development would not have any unacceptable environmental, traffic or other impact; and

(iii) the proposals, where applicable, provide for the satisfactory and prompt restoration and aftercare of the site to a high standard and to a landform compatible with the local landscape and suitable for an agreed beneficial after-use.

Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan (Adopted) 1998

Policy 7

The Mineral and Waste Planning Authorities will grant planning permission for minerals and waste development provided they are satisfied that, where appropriate, the proposed development pays due regard to:

(i) the relationship of the proposal site to other properties and land uses (particularly residential and other environmentally sensitive properties) and the likely effects of the proposed development on the locality by reason of noise, dust, smoke, fumes, illumination or any other factor and the need for buffer zones between the development and residential and other properties;

(ii) the likely volume and nature of traffic that would be generated by the proposed development and the suitability of the proposed access to the site and of the road network that would be affected, in terms of highway capacity and safety and environmental impact, and whether any highway improvements required could be carried out satisfactorily without causing unacceptable environmental impact;

(iii) the likely visual impact of the proposed development and the need for additional planting and screening, including planting in advance of the commencement of the development;

(iv) the need to safeguard the character and amenities of individual settlements and to safeguard open gaps between settlements from permanent development which would cause long-term harm to the function of the land;

(v) the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to protect and safeguard sites of nature conservation, geological, archaeological, historic, architectural and landscape importance and their settings;

(vi) the extent and quality of agricultural land to be taken by the proposed development and the proposals for its subsequent restoration and the likely effects of the proposals on farm structure and management;

(vii) the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to maintain the distinctive character of the landscape; the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to safeguard and protect individual species, habitats and landscape features, including woodland, trees and hedgerows; and the likely effects of the proposed development on forestry and woodland management;

(viii) the likely effects of the proposed development on sites used for recreation and public rights of way and the need to protect or secure the satisfactory diversion of public rights of way;

(ix) the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to safeguard the flow and quality of watercourses, water supplies, floodplains, groundwater, the drainage of the site and adjoining land and the level of the watertable in the locality and the likely effects of the proposed development on the immediate setting of any river;

(x) any potential danger to aircraft from birds being attracted to the site;

(xi) the possible amenity implications of any landfill gas that might be generated at the site and of any provisions that might need to be made to deal with it; and

(xii) the likely cumulative impact of the proposed development in combination with any other significant development taking place or permitted to take place in the locality and the need to minimise the impact of mineral extraction and waste disposal operations by securing, where appropriate, the phased release of sites and progression of working and restoration.