Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were made. 

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 Thursday 14^th March 2024.

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 Thursday 14^th March 2024.

No member questions were received. 

The Committee is asked to approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on the 28^th September 2023. 

Resolved

That the minutes of the meeting held on the 28^th September 2023 were approved as a correct record. 

To receive the notes of the Members Site Visit held on the 18^th March 2024.  (TO FOLLOW)

The Committee received the site visit notes. 

The Committee is asked to note the report.

Robin Drake, Planning & Development Manager presented the update for planning committee concerning the appeal against the refusal of planning permission for a mineral development at Land at Bow Farm, Bow Lane, Twyning, Tewkesbury.

Members were provided with a brief background leading up to the appeal, back in January 2023, planning committee considered planning application reference:  19/0081/TWMAJM. The proposal included numerous items of mineral infrastructure, a relatively small amount of sand and gravel mineral working and site restoration.

It was noted the proposal was part of a more substantial cross-border sand and gravel development occurring largely within the neighbouring county of Worcestershire. The planning application within Gloucestershire provided the means of access, an internal haul road and the processing infrastructure for the mineral worked out of Worcestershire.  The proposal within Worcestershire was granted permission, subject to conditions by Worcestershire County Council’s planning committee on 8^th November 2022.

On 26th January 2023 planning committee refused permission for planning application reference: 19/0081/TWMAJM. Two grounds for refusal were cited. The first stated that the proposal will be contrary to Gloucestershire County Council’s declaration on climate change and would be contrary to National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) paragraph 152, this informed that the planning system should support the transition to a low carbon future and should help to shape places in ways that contributed to radical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. To clarify, the application was assessed against the 2021 version of the NPPF and the present version of the NPPF was published on 19^th December 2023. The applicable national policy text could be found under paragraph 157. The second reason for refusal stated there would be significant risk of harm to the local economy because of dust and noise generating activities arising within the application site.

The decision made by members was contrary to the recommendation of officers, which advised planning permission should be granted subject to a suite of planning conditions covering amenity and environmental safeguards, highway matters, restoration requirements, and record keeping and monitoring provisions consistent with the decision made by Worcestershire County Council November 2022.

On the 23^rd June 2023, an appeal against the refusal to grant planning permission for planning application reference: 19/0081/TWMAJM was lodged with the Planning Inspectorate by the applicant, M C Cullimore (Gravels) Ltd. The appeal formally commenced on 23rd September 2023. A Hearing took place on 5^th December 2023 at the Hilton Puckrup Hall Hotel, Puckrup Lane near to the appeal site. This was conducted by a Secretary of State appointed Planning Inspector, Ms. F Wilkinson. Also in attendance were officers of the County Council, the appellant, technical and legal representatives for the appellant, representation from Twyning Parish Council, employees and representatives of businesses neighbouring the application site, and the local County Councillor for Tewkesbury.

The following day, the Planning Inspector also undertook an accompanied site visit. An officer of the County Council, representatives of the appellant, and interested parties were in attendance.

In addition, to the appeal against the refusal of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

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

The committee were advised that the proposal was for the variation of conditions 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.

It was noted this application was reported to the 28^{th of} September 2023 meeting of the Planning Committee and deferred at that same meeting with the following resolution: The application be deferred so that additional information could be sought in relation to the HGV Management Plan. 

Slide 3 showed that Oathill Quarry was located to the north of and took its access from the B4077 which ran east west through the Cotswold AONB.  It lay at the junction with Buckle Street which ran roughly north south.  The nearest settlements were Ford to the west (1.5km) of the site on the B4077 and Temple Guiting, (1km) to the southwest. 

It was noted the site access was from the B4077.  The weighbridge and offices were located close to the site entrance and the southern site boundary.  The proposed new location of the stone processing shed was shown having moved from the southeast corner of the site to the southwest to allow the working in phase 1.

It was explained a processing building was approved as part of a previous permission but not constructed. A revised building was proposed, as the applicant wished to make some changes so that it would be 48m x 24m x 11.5m to ridge (previously 40 x 30 x 11 = 1200m² now 1152m² or 48m² smaller footprint but still steel olive green profiled on portal framed structure).

Members were advised that the revised working of the site would take place in 5 phases of about 18 to 24 months except last phase being up to 48 months.  Phase 1 showed working the southeast of the site, working along the eastern boundary towards the north and west of the site in phase 4.  Final phase 5 would be across the quarry bottom. 

Slide 5 displayed the existing site layout and slide 6 showed the existing stone processing area in the foreground.

Slide 7 showed thee mineral operations on this site were permitted by an extant planning permission which the operator was seeking to amend.  The applicant had submitted monthly data to show that they have been working within permitted limits of the extant permission.  The key justification for making the change to the existing mineral permission was to facilitate access to building stone which the operator was already permitted to work but cannot currently easily work due to the presence  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

The Committee is asked to note the report.

Andy Birchley, Enforcement Officer presented the report in detail.  Members were pleased to note that additional staff had been recruited and that enforcement visits were undertaken without notice depending on the evidence.

Resolved

That the Committee noted the report. 

The Committee is asked to note the report.

Resolved

That the Committee noted the report.