Agenda item

054768 - A - Variation of Condition No. 17 Attached to Planning Permission Ref: 00/20/570 to Increase Production Limit at Pant y Pwll Dwr Quarry, Pentre Halkyn

Decision:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report of the Chief Officer (Planning & Environment) with an additional condition for vehicle movements to be amended from 300 to 200 movements on Saturdays (100 in/100 out) and subject to a Section 106 Agreement, Unilateral Undertaking or earlier payment to secure the following:-

 

The sum of £17,000 towards road resurfacing works and an anti-skid surface at the junction of the B5123 and Bryn Emlyn, Pentre Halkyn; and

 

The sum of £1,000 towards repairs to a fence adjacent to the cattle grid on Martin’s Hill, Pentre Halkyn.

 

If the Obligation pursuant to Section 106 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as outlined above) is not completed within six months of the date of the committee resolution, the Head of Planning be given delegated authority to refuse the application.

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) in respect of this application.  The usual consultations had been undertaken and the responses received detailed in the report.  Additional comments received since the preparation of the report were circulated at the meeting.

 

The officer explained that the report had been deferred from the meeting in June to consider a number of concerns raised by the Committee and third parties on controlling vehicle movements at the site.  To address this, conditions 15-17 had been amended to restrict HGVs entering the site until 0615 Monday-Saturday and to allow a maximum number of eleven HGVs to leave the site between 0600 and 0630 hours Monday-Saturday.  A further revision to limit the number of vehicle movements on Saturdays from 300 to 200 (100 in/100 out) was also recommended, as set out in the late observations.  The changes to conditions suggested by the third party at the June meeting could not be implemented as there were no material reasons to do so.  Given the revised conditions to enable greater control to on-site activities, the officer felt there was no material reason to refuse the application.

 

Mr. D. Bartlett stated his original intention to oppose the application to seek a reduction in the number of HGVs travelling through Pentre Halkyn on Saturdays.  He acknowledged the applicant’s commitment to reduce the maximum number of HGVs at the site on Saturdays to 200 and the noise-reducing measures and repairs agreed as part of the consultation in December.  He also noted the applicant’s subsequent agreement to limit the maximum number of HGVs leaving the quarry before 0630 hours and to prohibit HGVs entering the quarry before 0615 hours.  As a consequence of this and the applicant’s agreement to reduce the number of HGVs using the village roads on Saturday, Mr. Bartlett withdrew his objections to the application.  He thanked all those involved for their work during the process, including the applicant, stating that early morning disturbance in the village would reduce to a more acceptable level if other quarries imposed similar conditions.  He said that residents would continue to seek a resolution to the 15 specific concerns which remained outstanding from the consultation process and welcomed any support from Members on this.

 

For the applicant, Mr. I. Southcott said that a response was no longer required in view of the above.

 

Councillor Chris Bithell proposed the officer recommendation for approval of the application together with the additional condition in the late observations.  He felt that the issues on vehicle movements had mainly been addressed and referred to the restrictions in Circular 11/95.  He pointed out that local communities had benefited from commuted sums and suggested that this could be put to better use in the future to address some of the outstanding concerns of residents.

 

His proposal was seconded by Councillor Derek Butler who praised the positive outcome which had been achieved through amicable and open-minded discussions.

 

As Local Member, Councillor Colin Legg spoke in support and explained his decision not to speak on the previous application due to the effective functioning of the quarry.  Whilst he sympathised with residents on the noise disturbance, he pointed out that a range of heavy traffic used the nearby roads including vehicles from other nearby quarries.  He praised the approach being taken by the quarry in encouraging careful driving of the HGVs and pointed out that some drivers of private cars posed a more serious problem.

 

Councillor Mike Peers said the debate demonstrated that concerns had been heard, adding that there was no longer a need to seek a change to the operating hours due to the agreed conditions.  In response to a question on paragraph 4.05 of the report, the Housing & Planning Solicitor advised that competitiveness was not a material planning consideration.

 

On being put to the vote, the proposal to approve the application with the inclusion of the additional condition in the late observations, was carried.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report of the Chief Officer (Planning & Environment) with an additional condition for vehicle movements to be amended from 300 to 200 movements on Saturdays (100 in/100 out) and subject to a Section 106 Agreement, Unilateral Undertaking or earlier payment to secure the following:-

 

The sum of £17,000 towards road resurfacing works and an anti-skid surface at the junction of the B5123 and Bryn Emlyn, Pentre Halkyn; and

 

The sum of £1,000 towards repairs to a fence adjacent to the cattle grid on Martin’s Hill, Pentre Halkyn.

 

If the Obligation pursuant to Section 106 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as outlined above) is not completed within six months of the date of the committee resolution, the Head of Planning be given delegated authority to refuse the application.

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