Local Plan - List of Revisions

M.1

M.1/D

5010/B9, 5010/B80

C4.11

C4.11/A

Editorial

Limestone is the principal commercial mineral worked in the plan area. Current reserves (2001) are in the order of 430,000 tonnes of Jurassic Oolitic and 170,000 tonnes of Jurassic Lower Lias and Triassic limestones. Limestone worked in the district is used predominantly for building and walling purposes.

C4.12

C4.12/A

Editorial

Extraction of stone has taken place in the district since Roman times. Bath Stone, the most familiar of the various types of building stone found in B&NES Bath & North East Somerset, is a generic name for limestones quarried and mined from the Middle Jurassic Great Oolite Limestone formation capping the hills in the Bath area. Underground extraction historically was found to yield the best quality Bath Stone, resulting in extensive mining at Combe Down. Bath Stone is still mined at Stoke Hill Mine near Limpley Stoke. An extensive resource of high quality Bath Stone is believed to exist in the Great Oolite limestone plateau forming a corridor between Limpley Stoke and the southern boundary of the District. A variety of Bath Stone known as Combe Down Stone is extracted at Upper Lawn Quarry. It is considered that a sufficient resource of Combe Down Stone exists on land surrounding the quarry to ensure a long-term supply of materials for maintenance and refurbishment of buildings within Bath.

C4.14

C4.14/A

686/B121

Having regard particularly to the status of Bath as a World Heritage Site, the DWLP this Plan must make provision to ensure that a sufficient supply of limestone is readily available to meet local demand for building and walling stone over the plan period.

C4.20

C4.20/A

1427/B129

It is considered that the derelict plant site should either be demolished and the land restored to agriculture or the existing buildings refurbished and used for a purpose which does not conflict with policies relating to the Green Belt, development in rural areas, highways and other planning policy considerations.

C4.25

C4.25/A

3202/B6

Stowey Quarry near Bishop Sutton is a small surface mineral working now producing "white lias" and "blue lias" limestone’s primarily for use as building and walling purposes stone and also for aggregate purposes. Stone is extracted by mechanical means. Products from the quarry are used in construction and refurbishment of buildings within the district and as far afield as the Royal Opera House and Dover town Hall. The quarry covers an area of about 9ha. It is located on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the Chew Valley on land approximately 500m east of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is accessed from an unclassified land off the Stowey – Clutton road. Areas of nature conservation and archaeological importance are located within 150, of the northern site boundary. The location of the site and the nature of the surrounding topography means that it is at present largely hidden from wider views.

C4.26

C4.26/A

3202/B7

Historically, actual output is estimated currently to be less than has been 5000 tonnes each year and historically has been considerably or less. A maximum output of 180,000 tonnes each year is permitted following review of the 1954 planning permission for stone extraction, although this is at present the subject of an appeal. It is the current operator’s intention that the majority of the quarry’s production will be processed to provide raw materials for building and construction purposes. The quarry is estimated to have a remaining workable reserve of about 170,000 tonnes. A 3.75ha area of land adjacent to the eastern boundary of the current working was identified as a preferred area for extension in the MWALP. It is estimated that this area would yield in the order of 480,000 tonnes of stone. The void resulting both from the current site and preferred extension area is estimated to be around 1.7 million m3.

C4.27

C4.27/A

3202/B8

C4.30

C4.30/A

Editorial

The 1.4 Ha site is within just outside the Bristol-Bath Green Belt and Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is overlooked by residential property on St Winifred’s Drive. It is located on generally flat land. Access is via Shaft Road and St Winifred’s Drive. Land adjacent to the south-western and south-eastern boundaries is used as allotments. Land to the north-east is in residential use, whilst land to the north-west comprises a recreational area for a nearby school. Given the topography of the area and vegetation surrounding the perimeter of the quarry, the site is largely hidden from wider views. Output is limited by planning condition to 5000 tonnes each year. Planning permissions relating to the site recently were reviewed under the Environment Act 1995 and a new schedule of operating and restoration conditions imposed. Planning permission was granted in 2001 for an extension to the site which is believed will secure reserves until at least 2011.

C4.31

C4.31/A

3202/B8

C4.35

C4.35/A

2312/B1

Hayes Wood Mine produces approximately 18,000 9-11,000 tonnes of stone each year. Planning permission for a 22.62 ha extension to the site was granted in June 1996. Reserves of saleable minerals were estimated at that time to be 395,850 tonnes. It is considered that there are workable reserves at the site for at least 18 years’ production at current rates of output.

C4.37

C4.37/A

3202/B8

C4.38

C4.38/A

345/B30, 5001/8

The MWALP proposals both for the Area of Search and the mine have been reviewed. Revised proposals are set out at in paragraph C4.95 C4.82 below.

Heading to para C4.45

C4.45/A

Editorial

CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF MINERAL WORKING IN B&NES BATH & NORTH EAST SOMERSET

3291/B2, 3202/B9

Stowey Quarry: whilst planning permission for filling part of the quarry with inert wastes to assist reclamation exists, it is desirable, having regard to MPG7, that land used for mineral extraction is returned to a beneficial afteruse as quickly as possible. However, at this quarry, large heaps of waste stone including one of about 0.4ha (overburden and interburden) on the land surface together with a broken and uneven an irregular quarry floor are and little evidence of haphazard working and minimal effective reclamation and restoration to agriculture by backfilling quarried waste has not been successful, even though planning permission was also later granted to raise levels in part of the quarry by the use of imported inert waste. It is desirable, having regard to MPG7, that land use for mineral extraction is returned to a beneficial afteruse as quickly as possible.

C4.54

C4.54/A

5001/B186, 5010/B232

This site has long been regarded as an eyesore on the southern approach to Bath. The plant is set some way back from the A367. In summer it is partially screened by trees in leaf and is not readily visible. In winter the derelict industrial building is more visibly intrusive and clashes with the predominantly rural open surrounding landscape. Land to the north-east of the plant site requires reclamation in order to bring it back into beneficial agricultural use. A planning application submitted in 2000 for redevelopment of the site currently is being considered. for offices and residential uses was subject of a call in inquiry and is awaiting the decision of the Secretary of State.

C4.60

C4.60/A

3202/B12

Given the economic and environmental need to conserve resources, clearly it is essential to make best use of extracted minerals. The MPA has no influence on the end use of minerals and mineral products. However it can contribute to the efficient use of minerals by seeking to ensure, for example, that high grade minerals are not processed for low grade applications. and that where necessary low grade materials are retained on site for land reclamation purposes rather than being sold for use as bulk fill in development projects.

Policy M.3

M.3/A

721/B39

Minerals development will only be permitted where: i) minerals extracted at the site, including where appropriate overburden and mineral wastes, will be used to their maximum practicable efficiency in both economic and environmental contexts. and ii) the proposal does not involve the extraction and/or processing of locally scarce or high grade minerals for use in low grade applications.

C4.61

C4.61/A

3202/B14

Production and use of secondary and recycled materials is a key element in sustainable minerals development, particularly in the case of the high volume aggregates industry. Whilst initiatives have been slow to gather momentum, the Landfill Tax and the forthcoming Aggregates Levy are focussing waste management, construction and minerals industry attention on this area. Implementation of the EC Landfill Directive in 2001 will be an added incentive. It is anticipated that demand for secondary and recycled materials will increase during the Plan period. Consequently, there will be a commensurate demand for production facilities. This issue is recognised in the Waste Management section of the Plan. The production of secondary and recycled materials could result in unacceptable environmental impacts – for example through additional traffic movements and noise from crushing and screening plant. The environmental benefits and disbenefits of a proposal will therefore need to be weighed carefully.

C4.62

C4.62/A

3202/B14

Production of secondary and recycled materials is, on the face of it, to be encouraged. But it must be borne in mind that this may not always represent the best practicable environmental option for management of the waste involved. Moreover, as more construction and demolition wastes are recycled there is likely to be a greater shortfall in availability of materials suitable for quarry reclamation and restoration purposes. The MPA considers that in principle it is desirable for some extracted materials to remain on site, even if they can be marketed, it will be necessary on non-aggregate producing mineral extraction sites which potentially could be suitable for recycling in order to assist with reclamation and restoration of the site. The amount to be retained will depend upon the circumstances at the site. The exportation of processed or unprocessed wastes from building and walling stone quarries or other non-aggregate sites will therefore be resisted.

Policy M.4

M.4/A

5010/B10, 5010/B231

Policy M.5

M.5/A

3202/B16

Development involving exportation of processed or unprocessed mineral waste and/or overburden from surface and underground mineral workings producing building and walling stone will not be permitted unless the materials are demonstrated to be surplus to site reclamation and restoration requirements.

Policy M.6

M.6/A

721/B40

Sub-Heading to C4.67

C4.67/A

120/B101, 120/B102

Traffic and Highways Transport

C4.67

C4.67/C

Editorial

Although in the past waterways have been used to transport minerals in the Bath & North East Somerset area, this has for some time been replaced almost entirely by road transport. Traffic generated by minerals amd and waste development can have a significant impact on the environment, on highway and highway safety and on amenity. Noise, dust, vibration and fumes, together with traffic congestion, damage to road surfaces and verges and potentially increased accident risk are amongst the issues which can arise.

C4.68

C4.68/A

120/B101, 120/B102

Planning applications should ensure that the most environmentally and commercially acceptable method of transport is employed to move minerals and that in the case of road transport, the highway network is capable of handling the traffic – both in terms of volume and weight – that will be generated over the life of the proposed development. Whilst upgrading the highway may, in some circumstances, be a solution, prospective developers should note that in many areas upgrading or realignment will be unacceptable if the nature of the road is changed to the extent that it will compromise its character or the character of the environment and the amenities of communities through which the road passes.

Policy M.9

M.9/B

5011/B1

C4.75

C4.75/A

3202/B20

Extension of the site will require a new planning permission. Development of an intensive higher-output operation will be unacceptable on policy grounds and could not be justified by local, regional or national need for either aggregates of building stone. Planning applications relating to extension of the quarry for production of materials other than building and walling stone at output levels at the site will be evaluated against policies including M1, M3 and M6.

C4.76

C4.76/A

3202/B21

There has been no material change in planning circumstances since the MWALP allocation relating to Stowey Quarry and no planning application has come forward for extension of the site. The Preferred Area for extension of the quarry has therefore been carried forward and is shown on the Proposals Map. Having regard to the sensitive location ineffectual reclamation of the quarry, it will be necessary for appropriate reclamation of the worked out areas to be clearly in hand before the MPA considers a planning application for extension of working into the preferred area. Winning and working of mineral within the preferred area should be phased to ensure that reclamation of the site keeps pace with extraction. Following reclamation the site should be put to an agricultural/nature conservation afteruse.

PM Notation Sheet

M.11/A

345/B21

Amend Policy M.12 notation to distinguish it more clearly from Policy M.2, M.4, M.7, M.11 notations.

C4.83

C4.83/A

1883/B1