Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chairperson for the ensuing civic year. 

On calling for nominations for the Chair of the Committee, Cllr Mackenzie-Charrington was proposed and duly seconded.  There being no other nominations, the Committee

Resolved

That Cllr Mackenzie-Charrington be elected as Chairperson for the ensuing civic year.

To appoint a Vice Chairperson for the ensuing civic year.

On calling for nominations for the Vice-Chair of the Committee Cllr Baker  was proposed and duly seconded, Councillor Hale was also proposed and duly seconded. 

On being put to the vote, Councillor Hale was duly appointed as the Vice-Chair of the Planning Committee

Resolved

That Cllr Hale be elected as Vice-Chairperson for the ensuing civic year.

The Chair declared that he would withdraw from the meeting for the second application (Oathill Quarry), as he wished to address the Committee in his capacity as the local County Councillor. 

To answer any written public questions about matters which are within the powers and duties of the Committee.

The closing date/time for the receipt of questions is 10am on 21st September 2023

No public questions were received

To answer any written members’ questions about matters which are within the powers and duties of the Committee.

The closing date/time for the receipt of questions is 10.00am on 21st September 2023.

No member questions were received. 

The Committee is asked to approved the minutes of the previous meeting held on the 26th January 2023.

Resolved

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on the 26th January 2023 be approved as a correct record. 

To receive the notes of the Members Site Visit held on Monday 25th September 2023.  TO FOLLOW

The Committee received the site visit notes. 

The Committee is asked to consider the proposal for the extraction of minerals, provision of associated infrastructure including access and processing facilities, associated ancillary buildings, structures and operations, with Site restoration using imported materials to agriculture and enhanced ecological interest and bio-diversity 

A summary of the application was presented by Jason Betty, Senior Planning Officer aided by a PowerPoint presentation.  (A copy of the presentation is attached to the signed minute book).

The committee were advised that Planning Application (21/0032/CWMAJM) was for the extraction of minerals, provision of associated infrastructure including access and processing facilities, associated ancillary buildings, structures and operations, with Site restoration using imported materials to agriculture and enhanced ecological interest and bio-diversity at the Former RAF Down Ampney Airfield & Surrounding Areas by Hills Quarry Products Limited.

It was brought to member's attention that there was a late submission from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) safeguarding which was circulated to members in advance of the meeting, clarifying that the MOD safeguarding had no change to the content of their response dated 27 September 2021 and that subject to their recommendations and a Section 106 they did not object to the proposal.

The case officer informed the committee of the following amendments to the report:

            - In the site area box on the front page, the site area should read                    236ha and not 243ha

            - Paragraph 1.11 should read a Bridle Path and not Public Right of                 Way.

            - Paragraph 7.173 the words the development should be deleted.

            - Condition 35 should read: Noise levels from temporary operations             involving the removal and placement of soils and creation of screening      bunds hereby approved shall not exceed 70 dB (A)1hr Leq, free fieldat     the properties identified in condition 34 during permitted working hours           specified in Condition 34 and shall not exceed the levels specified in           this condition for more than 8 weeks in any 12-month period.

It was noted that the proposed Site was approximately 236 hectares and was located mainly within Gloucestershire with (0.2ha) being located in Wiltshire due to the proposed access crossing the county boundary.

At slide 2, it was explained that the site crossed the administrative boundary of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire the proposal was classed as a cross border application. Wiltshire Planning Authority and GCC Mineral Planning Authority (MPA) had agreed that due to the fact the majority of the Site fell within Gloucestershire that GCC Mineral Planning Authority would determine the entire application including land within Wiltshire.

Members were shown in slide 3 that the Site comprised of agricultural land and mixed woodland plantations with the vestiges of a Second World War airfield lying at the heart of the site, comprising of remnants of the runways and the perimeter road.

The Site was bounded by C124/Kempsford Road to the south and two unnamed country lanes to the east and north, and the former airfield perimeter road to the west.   It was noted that Ampney Brook flowed parallel to the southwest Site boundary and a canalised spur crossed the southern edge of the proposed Site entrance north of C124/Kempsford Road, crossing under the road at Gally Leaze Bridge.  Several other drainage ditches followed a similar alignment across the Site, joining Ampney Brook south of C124/Kempsford Road.

Slide 4  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

The Committee is asked to consider the prposal for the variation of Condition 2 (revise restoration date from 25.11.2051 to 31.12.2034); Condition 3 (revise working scheme including revised location of stone processing shed and replacement office/welfare facilities) and condition 7 (revise export limits to 100,000 tpa from 50,000 tpa for 3 years) relating to planning consent 14/0101/CWMAJM for extension to an existing quarry, dated 21/05/2015

A summary of the application was presented by Linda Townsend, Senior Planning Officer aided by a PowerPoint presentation.  (A copy of the presentation is attached to the signed minute book).

An application was submitted in September 2021 to vary 3 planning conditions of an existing mineral planning permission with reference 14/0101/CWMAJM granted in May 2015. 

The application had been submitted with an Environmental Statement and has been subject to 3 rounds of public consultation. When the committee report was published there had been 25 representations received, but there had been 5 late submissions that had been circulated to Members and were taken as read. Temple Guiting Parish Council had maintained its objection and neighbouring Parish Councils of Upper Slaughter and Toddington had also sent in late responses in support of Temple Guiting Parish Council’s objection.  

It was explained that concerns had been expressed by local residents that the development would increase HGV traffic on unsuitable roads, cause air and noise pollution which would affect their amenity and health and have a negative impact on the Cotswold AONB.

The case officer advised the three conditions proposed to be amended, were:

-           Condition 2 in order to bring forward the restoration date of the quarry       by       17 years from 25^th November 2051 to 31^st December 2034.

-           Condition 3 would revise the list approved plans which set out the working          scheme.  The list of plans included the replacement of the site office, staff       welfare facilities, revised location and details of the stone processing shed.

-           Condition 7 proposed to increase the annual site export tonnage from       50,000 tpa to 100,000 tpa for 3 years, then return to 50,000 tpa. 

Members were advised that the current permission allowed for the production of building, walling stone with lower grade limestone crushed for aggregate and agricultural lime products.  The reason the application had been made was because the operator has found that the building stone strata is overlain by a much deeper strata of limestone which is only suitable for aggregate and agricultural lime products.  In order to prevent the sterilisation of the lower, more valuable building stone layer and maintain continuity of its supply, the operator sought to temporarily increase the amount of aggregate and lime products which could be exported in order to access the underlying building stone.  

The increase in production was estimated to represent an average increase in 22 movements per day (2 an hour) rising to 93 movements as a worst case scenario as there is a seasonal variation with August and September being peak months for exporting agricultural lime product.

The Committee noted that Oathill Quarry was located to the north and took its access from the B4077 which runs east west through the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  It lay at the junction with Buckle Street which runs roughly north south.  The nearest settlements to the site were Ford to the west (1.5km) on the B4077 and Temple Guiting, (1km) to the southwest.

The drawing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

The Committee is asked to discuss and note the report.  

 The PDM presented the report in detail and explained when the statutory changes had been finalised the checklist would be updated. 

In response to a question regarding climate change mitigations, members were advised that pg. 229 of the report detailed the requirement for sustainability.  Members were also advised that any further application requirements relating to the measuring of climate change impacts and seeking improvements in sustainability would need to be addressed at the national level. Members are well within their rights to write to the Secretary of State to seek further planning reforms in this respect. 

Resolved

That the report be noted. 

The Committee is asked to note the report. 

Resolved

That the Committee noted the report. 

The Committee is asked to note the report. 

During the discussion, members felt the Enforcement Team was under resourced.  The Committee appreciated the work of the Enforcement Officer but felt more resources were required to cope with the increased demand. 

Resolved

That the Committee noted the report.