Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report


Decision Maker:			Regulatory Committee
Date of Decision:			13 January 2010
Decision Title:			Variation of Condition 9 of Permission 05/53431/014 (to increase the quantity of waste to be handled at the site) at Farlington Redoubt, Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth. (Application No: 09/54301/015) (Site Ref: HV017).
Decision Reference:			1165
Report From:			Head of Planning and Development
Contact name:		Peter Chadwick
Tel:	01962 846728			Email:	[email protected]

1. Executive Summary

1.1. Planning permission is sought for a variation of condition at the waste transfer and recycling facility at Farlington Redoubt to increase the quantity of waste that can be handled from 50,000 tonnes per year to 80,000 tonnes per year.

1.2. The main issues are the impacts of the current operations and whether increasing the amount of waste handled would increase any environmental impacts, in particular highways impacts, and noise and dust impacts for local residents.

1.3. It is considered that the proposal would be in accordance with the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Core Strategy (HMWCS) by providing additional capacity at an existing site (S5/DC13) and would not materially harm the character of the area or the amenity of local residents (DC8) and would be acceptable in terms of highway safety and convenience (DC6).

2. Site and proposal

2.1. The Farlington Redoubt, as shown on the attached plan, is a former military installation and is an area of about three hectares cut into the chalk, and therefore enclosed by steep chalk faces other than the entrance. The western half of the site is owned by Transco and the eastern half owned by the applicant, L & S Waste Management, who use the site for waste recycling and waste transfer. The adjoining land to the north is a golf course, the other adjoining land is in agricultural and grazing use. Access is onto Portsdown Hill Road. The nearest houses are about 140 metres to the east on Portsdown Hill Road.

2.2. The waste handled at the facility is commercial, construction and demolition waste comprising metal, timber, plastics, pvcu, cardboard, plasterboard, soils and hardcore. These are separated, the soils are screened and the concrete is crushed. Residual non recyclable waste is sent to landfill.

2.3. Planning history:

01/54301/007 - Temporary permission for a waste transfer station. Granted 29 November 2001.

03/54301/009 - Permanent permission for waste transfer station. Granted 9 May 2003.

03/54301/010 - Storage and processing of secondary aggregates and soils, skip storage and extension of the site. Granted 9 May 2003.

03/54301/012 - Operation of concrete crusher. Granted 29 July 2004.

03/54301/013 - Continued operation of concrete crusher. Granted 1 December 2005.

03/54301/014 - Variation of condition to allow importation by means other
than in skips. Granted 13 February 2006.

2.4. Condition 9 of planning permission 05/534301/014 restricts the amount of waste handled to a maximum of 50,000 tonnes per year, the reason being to control the scale of the development. The proposal is to increase this quantity to 80,000 tonnes per year. The applicant states that the need for this increase is due to a market led shift to the recycling of predominantly heavy inert materials such as soils, concrete and rubble.

2.5. The original proposals assessed that with the site operating at a level of 50,000 tonnes per year, it would generate about 226 lorry movements per day. However with the shift to heavy inert waste, and consequent change to vehicles with higher payloads, the number of vehicle movements at the site has been between 140 -150 movements per day. The applicant argues that the increase in site capacity to 80,000 tonnes per year would not lead to an increase in lorry movements over and above the 226 originally assessed as acceptable.

2.6. As part of these proposals the applicant is proposing to upgrade the wheel washing facilities by replacing the current facilities with a platform model which recirculates the water used. Currently the operator uses a road sweeper on Portsdown Hill Road regularly to clean the road and this would continue, and there are no changes proposed to the operational hours, range of waste handled or to the drainage of the site.

2.7. A noise report was submitted with the application, which concluded that the site operates in compliance with the existing noise condition.

3. Development plan

3.1. Hampshire Portsmouth Southampton and New Forest National Park Minerals and Waste Core Strategy (2007):

Policies S5 (Capacity requirements for recycling, composting and recovery and treatment);DC6 (Highways); DC8 (Pollution, health, quality of life and amenity) and DC13 (Waste management and recycling (including aggregate recycling facilities) are relevant.

4. Consultations

4.1. The Local Member and Chair of the Liaison Panel, Councillor Buckley, comments `Although Farlington Redoubt is in Hampshire the road leading to the site is in the Portsmouth City Council area. There have been complaints to Portsmouth City Council about the state of the road in terms of mud on the highway and wear to the highway. These complaints were referred to the Environment Agency. Although we have a Liaison Panel that I chair it has been difficult to resolve these issues as Colas who is Portsmouth City Council's contractor although invited do not attend the meetings. There is concern from local residents in West Bedhampton, which is East of the site, about greater volume of waste being handed at this site.'

4.2. Havant Borough Council raises no objection subject to the retention of existing conditions, and monitoring to ensure compliance with dust and noise conditions.

4.3. Environmental Health Officer, Havant Borough Council raises no objection.

4.4. Portsmouth City Council raise no objection. Subject to the re-imposition of conditions 1-8 and 10-16 of planning permission ref. 05/54301/014 it is considered that the proposed increase in throughput tonnage would not adversely affect the highway network or otherwise have a detrimental impact on the amenity of the occupiers of residential properties in the locality. The proposal would therefore be in accordance with policies DC5 and DC25 of the Portsmouth City Local Plan 2001-2011.

4.5. Environmental Health Officer, Portsmouth City Council comments that the noise report relates to the existing operations of the site and confirms that the existing operations comply with the requirements of condition 12 of the planning consent, however no assessment has been carried out for the proposed increase in operations as per the application.

4.6. Environment Agency raises no objection.

4.7. Highway Authority comments that the site is served by a simple `T' junction access directly onto Portsdown Hill Road. The width is adequate to allow two HGVs to pass. The capacity of the access to cater for the turning movements has been assessed and there are unlikely to be any significant queues forming at the access. The site has more than adequate capacity to accommodate the likely traffic movements at the site entrance with Portsdown Hill Road, and no significant transport related concerns over Portsmouth City Councils highway network. In these circumstances there is no objection on highway grounds.

5. Representations

5.1. Letters have been received from six local residents raising objection on the grounds of noise and dust from the site, disturbance by numbers of lorries and damage to Portsdown Hill Road caused by numbers of lorries using the site.

6. Commentary

6.1. The proposals are to increase the throughput at the existing waste transfer and recycling facility. No changes are proposed to operations within the site or nature of the waste. The principle of increasing waste management capacity at existing brownfield sites is in accordance with policy, provided the environmental implications of the increase are acceptable. In this case the main issues are the impact of the lorry traffic, noise and dust.

6.2. The proposal would clearly increase lorry traffic bringing in material to and from the site. However the existing traffic levels are lower than those envisaged when the original permission was granted. This was because the original proposals were primarily for skip lorries, with low payloads, however as the site has developed tipper lorries are used which have higher payloads. This proposed increase would not increase lorry numbers beyond those set out in the original proposals. Comments have been raised about the condition of the road, however Portsdown Hill Road is well used, including use by lorries and all damage cannot be solely attributed to traffic associated with this site and it is noted no objection is raised by the Highway Authority.

6.3. Although noise from operations on the site and the use of the road sweeper have been raised as objections by local residents the noise report that shows that the site is operating accordance with the limits in the conditions. The proposals include upgrading the wheel cleaning facilities to reduce the amount of dirt getting onto the highway. Therefore reducing the need for use of the road sweeper and any consequent disturbance.

6.4. There are existing measures to control dust and the proposed improved wheel washing would reduce dirt on the road and consequently the amount of dust generated from the road.

6.5. In conclusion increasing capacity of a site in accordance with criteria set out in DC 13 of the Minerals and Waste Core Strategy is in accordance with the development plan. The proposals include improved environmental control through the installation of upgraded wheel cleaning facilities, and subject to the continuation of the existing conditions it is considered the increase in through put would be acceptable.

7. Recommendation

7.1. It is recommended that permission for Variation of Condition 9 of Permission 05/53431/014 (to increase the quantity of waste to be handled at the site) at Farlington Redoubt, Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth. (Application No: 09/54301/015) (Site Ref: HV017) be granted subject to the conditions appended to this report.

Links to the Corporate Strategy


Hampshire safer and more secure for all:	no
Corporate Business plan link number (if appropriate):
Maximising well-being:	no
Corporate Business plan link number (if appropriate):
Enhancing our quality of place:	yes
Corporate Business plan link number (if appropriate):


Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report. (NB: the list excludes published works and any documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.)

Document	Location
Variation of Condition 9 of Permission 05/53431/014 (to increase the quantity of waste to be handled at the site) at Farlington Redoubt, Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth. (Application No: 09/54301/015) (Site Ref: HV017).	Planning and Development Environment Department Elizabeth II Court west

CONDITIONS

Commencement

1. The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

Reason: To comply with Section 91(as amended) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Reinstatement

2. On cessation of the use of the land as a waste transfer and recycling facility the buildings, plant and machinery, stockpiles and waste shall be removed and the land reinstated to its former condition.

Reason: To secure the visual amenity of the area.

Highways

3. The highway verge, at the site entrance with Portsdown Hill Road, shall be trimmed regularly to ensure that within the visibility splay no vegetation exceeds one metre in height.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

4. The warning signs and lighting shall be maintained as approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority for the duration of the use of the site.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

5. The increase in the quantity of waste being handled at the site hereby permitted shall not commence until details of the additional wheel cleaning facilities have been approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority and fully implemented. The facilities shall be implemented as approved for the duration of the development and no lorry shall leave the site unless its wheels and chassis have been cleaned, and measures taken to prevent mud being deposited on the highway .

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

Protection of Water Environment

6. All areas where waste is stored, handled or transferred shall be underlain by impervious hardstanding with dedicated drainage to foul sewer or sealed tank. drainage shall be in accordance with the approved scheme for the duration of use of the site.

Reason: To prevent pollution of the water environment.

7. Any facilities for the storage of oils, fuels or chemicals shall be sited on impervious bases and surrounded by impervious bund walls. The bund capacity shall give 110% of the total volume for single and hydraulically linked tanks. If there is multiple tankage, the bund capacity shall be 110% of the largest tank or 25% of the total capacity of all tanks, whichever is the greatest. All filling points, vents, gauges and sight glasses and overflow pipes shall be located within the bund. There shall be no outlet connecting the bund to any drain, sewer or watercourse or discharging onto the ground. Associated pipework shall be located above ground where possible and protected from accidental damage.

Reason: To prevent pollution of the water environment.

Vehicle maintenance

8. No repairs or maintenance of vehicles shall be carried out on the site unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Waste planning Authority.