Issue - meetings

Application for extension to Cae Efa Lwyd sand and gravel pit 

 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Craig ab Iago

 

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To delegate powers to the Head of Environment Department to approve the application, subject to conditions relating to the following:

1.         5 years

2.         Duration of works – 10 years at a rate of 125,000 tons per annum

3.         In accordance with plans

4.         Restriction of GPDO rights for buildings, structures, private roads, floodlighting, fencing etc.

5.         A copy of the determination and approved plans to be shown at the site office.

6.         Restriction of 125,000 tonnes per annum on material removed from site, at a maximum rate of twenty-five (25) HGV loads per day

7.         Surface of site access to county highway to be kept clean and no mud/debris to be deposited on highway.

8.         No materials (refuse or waste materials) shall be imported to the site.

9.         Mark the boundary of site and mineral extraction zones.

10.       Working hours. No operations on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays or Public Holidays other than emergency, servicing and maintenance work.

11.       All loaded vehicles to be sheeted or treated to avoid emission of dust.

12.       Record of traffic.

13.       No processing on site.

14.       Noise limits and noise limits in relation to temporary operations.

15.       Noise mitigation measures.

16.       Acoustic fencing retained and bunding retained.

17.       Vegetation, topsoil, subsoils to be stored in acoustic screening bund.

18.       Noise monitoring.

19.       Air quality limits and air quality monitoring.

20.       Dust suppression measures and updated dust monitoring and control scheme.

21.       Boundary of mineral extraction area to be temporarily fenced.

22.       Groundwater monitoring.

23.       Submission of detailed written scheme of investigation for archaeological work.

24.       Submission of detailed analytical report of the archaeological work in accordance with the written scheme of investigation.

25.       Restoration plan.

26.       Storage/management of soils.

27.       No soils to be removed from site, and the soil to be used in site restoration.

28.       Soil storage mounds to be kept free from weeds.

29.       Submission of restoration and 5-year aftercare plan.

30.       Restoration in accordance with the 5-year aftercare and monitoring plan.

31.       Ripping of ground to avoid compaction.

32.       Correct sequence and spread of soils in restoration.

33.       Conduct chemical analysis of soils during restoration.

34.       No livestock to be kept until land is of an acceptable condition.

35.       Annual review of operations and aftercare.

36.       Revised scheme of restoration to be submitted to the LPA in the event of premature cessation of mineral extraction for a period of 12 months.

37.       Mitigation measures for badgers, breeding birds, reptiles.

38.       Restriction on removal of vegetation during bird nesting season.

39.       Reasonable avoidance measures to protect reptiles during demolition of walls and field boundaries.

40.       Pollution prevention measures.

41.       Collection and disposal of water to restrict what is released to water environment.

42.       Compliance with surface water management plan.

43.       A condition to identify the site by its Welsh name.

 

Application for an extension to sand and gravel pit at Cae Efa Lwyd

 

The Senior Planning Manager – Minerals, highlighted that this was an application to extend the extraction area of the Cae Efa Lwyd operational sand and gravel pit. It was expected for the work to release 793,000 tonnes of sand and gravel in addition to the 298,000 tonnes that had already been released. The application was not applying for a processing permission on the site - the arrangement of transporting the minerals to Graianog Quarry would continue.

 

It was highlighted that an Environmental Statement had been submitted with the application as the scale of the application was the subject of an Environmental Impact Assessment in accordance with the requirements.

 

⁠In the context of the principle of the development, it was noted that the proposed extension site had been identified as a preferred area for supplying the need for sand and gravel within policy MWYN 2 of the Local Development Plan (LDP), namely a policy that facilitates the additional provision of minerals, sand and gravel to meet the identified need noted in the North Wales Regional Technical Statement. The Statement had been approved by Cyngor Gwynedd. The proposal would provide additional minerals and reduce the shortfall (at least 2.6 million tonnes of sand and gravel) in the land bank in accordance with the requirements of policies MWYN 2, MWYN 3 and Strategic Policy PS 22.

 

When discussing visual amenities and landscape, it was reported that the site did not fall within any landscape designations and that it was located within an area of enclosed agricultural land to the west of Penygroes. A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment had been submitted which verified the impact of the development on landscape assets around the site. It was considered that the primary effects would include gradual reduction in land level when excavating the mineral, mobile activity in the quarry, the screening bund along the boundary of the site and the ground level below original land level following the restoration work  - these impacts would be more detrimental / prominent during the operational period an in areas directly adjacent to the site.

 

Concerns had been raised by the Welsh Government's Soil Policy and Agricultural Land Use Planning Unit about the practicality of restoring the site to provide the best standard of agricultural land throughout the site due to the topography and hydrogeology. In response, it was explained that paragraph 3.59 Planning Policy Wales stated that development should be undertaken on the best agricultural land if there was an overriding need for the development - the need for this development to meet the demand for minerals had been supported by local and national policies. It was reiterated that the Soil Policy and Agricultural Land Use Planning Unit had proposed further conditions to ensure agricultural restoration and after-care after the use ends and that any visual impacts of the proposal would be temporary. 

 

In the context of general and residential amenities, it was noted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6