Earls Barton Spinney Quarry

Earls Barton Northampton

Non-material Amendment of Planning Permission 15/00091/MINVOC

March 2017

1. Introduction Breedon Southern Limited (hereafter referred to as Breedon or the Applicant) is submitting a Non-Material Amendment Application to Northamptonshire County Council regarding the Earls Barton Spinney Quarry, Off Grendon Road, Earls Barton (A copy of the Location Plan is in Appendix A). The outcome of a recent meeting with Northamptonshire County Council invited the submission of an application pursuant to Section 96A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

2. The Applicant Breedon Southern Limited is one of three autonomous divisions of the Breedon Group; the other two divisions being Breedon Northern and Hope Cement. Breedon Group plc is the largest independent construction materials group in the UK. The group operates the country's largest cement plant, two cement import terminals, around 60 quarries, 26 asphalt plants, 200 ready-mixed concrete & mortar plants and three concrete block plants, employing around 2,300 people nationwide. For more information regarding the company can be gained by visiting the website www.breedongroup.com.

3. Planning History The original planning application and Environmental Statement for Earls Barton Spinney Quarry was submitted by Ennstone Johnston Ltd as part of the application for the site in 2007. The application, planning reference 07/00050/MIN, was approved for the site on the 20th March 2008 by Northamptonshire County Council (NCC). A Section 73 application was submitted to NCC by Breedon Aggregates on the 15th September 2010, planning reference 10/00066/EXT, which was to extend the time limit for implementation at Earls Barton Spinney Quarry as conditioned in the original planning permission. This application was approved on the 28th January 2011. A Section 96A application was submitted to NCC by Breedon Aggregates on the 26 November 2013, planning reference 13/00110/MINNMA, which enabled the development to be commenced by the extraction of between 400 and 1000 tonnes of sand and gravel with plant access via an existing agricultural access from Grendon Road. This application was approved 15 January 2014. A Section 73 application was submitted to NCC by Breedon Aggregates on the 26 November 2015, planning reference 15/00091/MINVOC, which was to revise the working scheme to work the quarry in a clockwise sequence compared to the originally approved anti-clockwise sequence. This application was approved 24 February 2016.

4. Reason for this Application Breedon are establishing the Earls Barton Spinney Quarry in 2017 and a construction programme has been developed. This programme aims to ensure the quarry can be constructed with minimal disruption within the surrounding area and maximise the material resources available at the site reducing the need to import.

It is considered that the original description of the proposed development submitted in 2008 and the part amended working scheme in 2015 requires minor alteration and further clarification. The alteration and clarifications relate to the sequence of events to how the site access onto Grendon Road and associated infrastructure for the quarry will be developed. This is explained further within this section. This application is to clarify and amend details submitted or referenced under conditions 3 and ensure compliance with condition 9 of planning permission 15/00091/MINVOC. The wording of condition 3 and 9 are: Condition 3 states; The development hereby approved shall only be carried out in accordance with the following documents and plans, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Mineral Planning Authority: Application ref. no. 07/00050/MINFUL:

a) Environmental Statement (September 2007) including the amended: (i) Hydrological and Hydrogeological Assessment (Revised February 2008) (ii) Archaeological Evaluation Supple-mentary Statement (November 2007)

b) Drawing No. E18/03/A c) Drawing No. E18/04 d) Drawing No. E18/05 e) Drawing No. E18/06 f) Drawing No. E18/07

Application ref. no. 15/00091/MINVOC:

a) Drawing no. EB/1 (dated August 2015, submitted on 9 February 2016); b) The revised Working Scheme received on 26 November 2015;

Condition 9 states; The Heavy Goods Vehicle access to and from the quarry shall only be gained via the access point onto Grendon Road shown on Drawing No. E18/03/A. No development beyond the scope of that approved under 13/00110/MINNMA shall take place until the site access and associated infrastructure have been laid out and constructed in accordance with a scheme which has been previously submitted to and approved by the Mineral Planning Authority. The scheme shall show that:

a) If gates are to be provided to the vehicular access they shall be set back a minimum of 20.0m from the edge of the carriageway;

b) The access road shall be of a minimum width of 7.3m for a distance of 30.0m from the edge of the existing carriageway;

c) The junction of the proposed access road with the public highway shall be laid out with 15.0 radius kerbs;

d) Visibility splays shall be provided on either side of the junction of the proposed access with the public highway. The minimum dimensions to provide the required splay lines shall be 4.5m measured along the centre line of the access road from its junction with the channel line of the public highway, and 215.0m measured along the channel line of the public highway from the centre line of the access road;

e) Any vegetation above 600mm in height within the visibility splay area shall be removed;

f) The access road shall be metalled for a minimum distance of 100m up to and including the wheel cleansing facility; and

g) The site entrance and internal haul roads shall be maintained in a condition free from potholes while in use.

It is noted Section 2 (Proposed Development) of the Environmental Statement 2007 and the revised Working Scheme received on 26 November 2015 give a brief description of a proposed site access; where it will be constructed and an expected specification of design. With the approval of the access layout established, Breedon then entered into a Section 278 agreement with NCC and technical approval was granted on 10 March 2016. In developing

the construction programme various options were reviewed and clarification will be given within this application on a preferred approach to how the site access will be constructed. Furthermore, most but not all the associated infrastructure required to operate the quarry was explained within Section 2 subsections Initial Operations and Phases 1 and 2. Two omissions will be explained and the timing of Phase 1A requires amending to enable overburden material to be won to establish the quarry infrastructure. All works will be completed prior to any mineral processing and exportation. It is proposed clarity is given to these tasks. Breedon is ensuring compliance to condition 9 and considers the condition was attached to the planning permission to ensure HGVs associated with mineral exportation and inert material importation use the approved access point onto Grendon Road once constructed. Breedon considers the condition does enable traffic associated with the construction of the site to source a suitable alternative access point. This document proposes to clarify this approach.

5. Construction of Site Access onto Grendon Road It is noted that Section 2 of the 2007 Environmental Statement and the revised Working Scheme received on 26 November 2015 were divided into 7 distinct sub-sections. Section 2.2 – Site Access gave a broad description and proposed specification for the access and was silent on how the site access will be constructed. Condition 9 of the extant planning permission (as expressed in section 4) gave a number of prescriptive requirements for the access. Below are two extracts from section 2.2 Site Access. Paragraph 2.2.3 states: A new temporary access point is to be established to the south of Grendon Road (B573) and this will serve the development throughout. And At the point where the proposed site access links to Grendon Road, part of the existing embankment will need to be raised to accommodate the widening of the access. There is no question that when Earls Barton Spinney Quarry access onto Grendon road is operational then all traffic including HGVs entering and leaving the site will do so via the access. This ensures compliance with planning condition 9. Grendon Road passes the site on an embankment and the spot heights on Grendon Road at the corners of the approved junction are 53.05 and 52.50 AOD; at corresponding points within the site boundary the spot heights are 48.86 and 49.23 AOD respectively. A ramp within the site boundary is required to enable the access road to join Grendon Road and this was expressed within the technical drawings for the S278 agreement. Fill material is required to create the ramp / embankment and could be sourced from outside of the site then transported for use, or alternatively, sourced from within the site. For the reasons of sustainable use of material and to limit unnecessary vehicle movements on the local and potentially wider road network, Breedon propose to utilise overburden material from within the site to construct the ramp. It has been calculated that 4,500 m3 is required to create the embankment which can be sourced from the overburden strip of phase 1A. It is therefore proposed to bring forward the timing of the soil and overburden strip of phase 1A for this purpose. The further benefit to using material sourced from inside of the site relates to the impact on road users of Grendon Road. If the access is constructed from outside of the site one lane of Grendon Road would need closing for a period of time, this is estimated at 45 working days. This can be reduced to 11 working days by working from within the site.

6. Proposed Working Sequence - Initial Operations Section 2.3.1 to 2.3.4 of the revised Working Scheme received on 26 November 2015 explained some of the associated infrastructure that would be established prior to exporting mineral; fencing of the periphery of the development; vegetation clearance; new access point and wheel wash, bridleway diversion and soil stripping. Breedon considered this section should also include the positioning of two gas main protection slabs will be positioned over the gas main [that runs from north to south through the site]; one slab at the north eastern entrance to the plant area and the other for the crossing point on the diverted public right of way (Condition 19).

Section 2.3.5 stated: The processing plant will be located to the north of the stockpiled soils, as shown on the Working Proposals Plan (Drg. No. EB 1). A water treatment lagoon will be established within the southern section of phase 1A, where silt generated from the processing of the sand and gravel will be allowed to settle before the water is reused for washing and dust suppression. The Plant Area shown on the Working Proposals Plan (Drg. No. EB 1 a copy of which is in Appendix B) will house the processing plant and the following associated infrastructure; a site office (including welfare facilities); above ground fuel storage (in compliance with planning condition 29), a weighbridge; staff car park, mineral stockpiles and topsoil and subsoil mounds. Prior to this site infrastructure being established a level permeable hard surface is required across most of the plant area. Concrete slabs are needed for the fuel storage, wash plant and offices / weighbridge area. The water treatment lagoon located north of the Former County Wildlife Site forms part of the associated infrastructure and construction is required for mineral processing; any surplus overburden material generated from the construction of the water treatment lagoon will be used within the plant area to create a level platform. It has been estimated that 50,000m3 of material could be extracted from Phase 1A and used for this purpose. To ensure the infrastructure is developed it is necessary to progress the topsoil and overburden stripping within Phase 1A in conjunction with the construction of the new access point and Plant Area. It is envisaged that the construction of the access point and associated site infrastructure will take roughly 3 months.

7. Site Access Arrangements for Construction Traffic To enable the quarry infrastructure and access point to be constructed internally of the site a suitable construction traffic access point is required. Breedon envisage using the existing agricultural access from Grendon Road as previously utilised for planning permission 13/00110/MINNMA. This agricultural access is classified as a byway open to all traffic (BOAT). To ensure agricultural access (BOAT) is not detrimentally impacted, a pre-construction survey will be undertaken and forwarded to Northampton County Council. Following the establishment of the site any damage caused by the use of this access during the construction period will be repaired. During the construction period temporary signs will be erected to warn other users of the agricultural access of the construction activity. Breedon note condition 9 of the planning permission and consider all of the above mentioned works are associated with the construction of the site access and associated infrastructure. It is therefore possible to gain access to the site via this previously used access for construction purposes only. To be clear, once the site access has been constructed and formally adopted, all quarry traffic will use the site access for the full duration of the operational quarry.

8. Conclusion This Section 96A application is being progressed to alter or clarify a number of tasks related to the establishment of the Earls Barton Spinney Quarry, these are:

Using material won from the site to construct the ramp / embankment for the site access;

Use material won from the site to create a hard and permeable level surface for the operational use of the Plant Area;

Bring forward Phase 1A works to facilitate the above two requirements;

Include the placement of two gas main protection slabs within the associated infrastructure works;

Include the establishment of the water treatment lagoon within the associated infrastructure works; and

Use the existing agricultural access from Grendon Road during the construction activity until the site access is established.

Breedon consider that all of the above works would need to be completed before any sand and gravel is processed and exported from the quarry, therefore no material alteration to the extant planning permission will occur.

Appendix A

Appendix B

Earls Barton Spinney Quarry

Application ref:17/00015/MINNMA - Amendment to conds 3 and 9 of ref. no.

15/00091/MINVOC to allow internal construction works

26 April 2017

1. Background The non-material amendment application was submitted to Northamptonshire County Council in March 2017 regarding the Earls Barton Spinney Quarry, Off Grendon Road, Earls Barton following the outcome of a meeting held with the Council. The application is to enable minor alteration and further clarification to the original description of the proposed development submitted in 2008 and the part amended working scheme in 2015 requires. The alteration and clarifications relate to the sequence of events to how the site access onto Grendon Road and associated infrastructure for the quarry will be developed. The application is to clarify and amend details submitted or referenced under conditions 3 and ensure compliance with condition 9 of planning permission 15/00091/MINVOC.

2. Reason for this Document This document has been produced to respond to the consultation comment submitted by Rob Sim-Jones Principal Engineer – (Principal Lead) Development Management for Northamptonshire Highways to Dan Szymanski Principle Planning Officer for Northamptonshire Mineral Planning Authority on 19 April 2017. The consultation comment was: Having reviewed the documentation for the NMA, there doesn’t appear to be a drawing showing details of the proposed temporary construction access to allow us to assess the suitability of this proposal, prior to the full site access being constructed. Please can you request this from the applicant?

Therefore this document has been written to explain the location of the temporary

construction access and the expected level of traffic to deliver the enabling works.

3. Construction Traffic Access Point

Breedon envisage using the existing agricultural access from Grendon Road as previously

utilised for planning permission 13/00110/MINNMA. This previous permission enabled the

development to commence by extraction of between 400 and 1000 tonnes of sand and

gravel with plant access via the existing agricultural access from Grendon Road. This

agricultural access is classified as a byway open to all traffic (BOAT).

The agricultural access is located north of the Earls Barton Spinney Quarry site and south of

the A45. The junction of the agricultural access to Grendon Road is also south of bridge

crossing the A45 that carries Grendon Road.

The length of the agricultural access proposed to be used is c. 155m and is highlighted in

Appendix 1.

Temporary warning signs which are additional to the signs being installed for the public right

of way diversion (as approved for condition 19) are shown in Appendix 2. These temporary

warning signs will be in place for the full duration of time construction traffic utilises the

agricultural access.

Appendix 3 shows the approved plan of signs for condition 19.

4. Construction Traffic

The expected construction traffic movements can be split into two categories, this being:

Quarry Mobile Plant – The one off mobilisation of quarry mobile plant that will be

used to deliver the quarry enabling works; and

On-going construction traffic – The day to day movement of staff (cars) to site and

the infrequent construction deliveries.

Quarry Mobile Plant

The stated mobile plant highlighted within the below table will be transported to site to deliver

the enabling works.

Schedule of Labour, Plant and Equipment

Description Source Inspections, certificates

1 x 3600 Excavator Hawk PUWER 98 & LOLER 98

2 x Rear Tipping Dump Trucks Hawk PUWER 98

1 x Dozer Hawk PUWER 98

1 x Ride-on Roller Hawk PUWER 98

1x Static fuel bowser Hawk PUWER 98

The above mentioned mobile plant will be transported to site by a low loader. It is

anticipated 5 low loader drop offs will be needed to deliver the 6 items. The bottom two items

can be transported on the same low loader. It is envisaged that mobilisation was take place

over a two day period.

Once the plant has been mobilised they will not leave the site until the access junction onto

Grendon Road has been constructed; as explained within planning condition 9 of the extant

planning permission (15/00091/MINVOC). Therefore the impact of transporting the plant to

site via the agricultural access should be restricted to 5 visits by a low loader. During these

visits the movements shall be controlled by banks-man to ensure that the public highway is

not obstructed and the safety of any members of public who happen to be using the access

at the same time.

On-going Construction Traffic

This category includes two sub categories; the movement of staff and construction material

deliveries.

There will be a maximum 4 staff required for these works and therefore staff movements will

be a maximum of 4 vehicles arriving and leaving just outside of the sites operating hours

(Condition 8 – 08:00-18:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00 13:00 Saturday).

Light goods vehicles are expected to undertake the majority of the construction deliveries.

The amount of deliveries a week is expected to be minimal until the main access junction

has been constructed. For example fuel deliveries are expected to account for 2 deliveries

per week.

5. The Repair and Reinstatement of the Agricultural Access

The present condition of the agricultural access can be split into two sections. From the

junction with Grendon Road to c.10 meters off Grendon Road the track is black top.

Significant surface cracks are evident across all of the c.10 meter section and the black top

has crumbled at the edges. Beyond the c.10 m of black top the track is mud intermingled

with stones.

Prior to commencing the construction of the quarry a road condition survey will be

undertaken on the agricultural access. A copy of this survey will be forwarded to

Northampton County Council within one month of commencing the construction works.

Immediately following the final use of the agricultural access, a second road condition survey

will be undertaken and will be forwarded to Northampton County Council within one month of

final use. It has been agreed with Northampton County Council that the c. 10 meters of

existing black top will be resurfaced and within one month of submitting the second road

condition survey a programme of repairs will be agreed with Northamptonshire County

Council to the remaining length of agricultural access that was used. Within one month of

the programme of repairs being agreed all repairs will be carried out. Therefore all repairs

will be completed within 3 months of the date of final use of the agricultural access for

construction traffic.

Appendix 1 – Construction Traffic Access Point

Comment –

Existing agricultural access track (Byway open to all traffic; BOAT) will be used from the

junction with Grendon Road to the foot bridge that crosses the A45; highlighted in red.

Appendix 2 – Temporary Signage

Appendix 3 – Approved Plan of signs in compliance with condition 19

Approved signs