Minerals Planning – Aggregates
Aggregates supply is, by far, the largest minerals extraction sector in England consisting of crushed rock, land won sand and gravel, and marine dredged sand and gravel. These construction materials are essential to built development, other construction, and maintenance of infrastructure (e.g. roads, flood defences) and are therefore essential to delivering growth and regeneration.
Heaton Planning provide minerals planning guidance and advice to a number of aggregate producing companies in the UK, successfully obtaining planning permission for new minerals workings as well as extensions to existing mineral workings.
Heaton Planning are also experienced in handling minerals planning applications for ancillary developments associated with aggregate mineral operations, including concrete batching plants, asphalt production plant, and also amendments to operations.
There are significant regional imbalances in the occurrence of suitable natural aggregate resources. For example, London, the South East and East of England, including major growth areas, depend significantly on crushed rock aggregate from the South West and East Midlands (e.g. Somerset, Derbyshire and Leicestershire). The North West similarly depends on rock imported from the East Midlands and North Wales. Parts of the North of England receive crushed rock from North Yorkshire and Yorkshire Dales. The main impacts of extraction can, therefore, often occur in upland landscapes distant from where the products are used. On-shore deposits of sand and gravel are more widely spread across regions, but are often in areas with good quality agricultural land or under pressure for other development.
Government policy and mineral planning guidance is provided in Mineral Policy Statement 1 (MPS1) ‘Planning and Minerals’. The minerals planning guidance offered by Government is to encourage the greatest possible use of alternatives to primary aggregates. Alternatives to primary aggregates include suitable:
- recycled construction, demolition and excavation wastes;
- mineral by-products notably waste from china clay, coal and slate extraction;
- industrial wastes such as glass, slag, ash, railway ballast, fine ceramic waste, and scrap tyres; and
- industrial by-products such as spent foundry sand.
Relevant experience includes:
Extension to Red Barn Quarry, Castle Bytham, Lincolnshire
Client: Bullimores Sand and Gravel Ltd
Heaton Planning was commissioned to prepare and submit a minerals planning application and Environmental Statement for an extension to the extant Planning Permission at Red Barn Quarry. Heaton Planning has secured planning permission for 1 million tonnes of sand and gravel reserves at Red Barn Quarry.
Collyweston Quarry, Duddington
Client: Bullimores Sand and Gravel Ltd
Heaton Planning was commissioned to handle a Minerals Planning Application, Supporting Statement and Environmental Statement for the extraction of 3 million tonnes of limestone by an extension of existing operations at Collyweston Quarry, securing restoration with the disposal of inert waste. Planning permission was granted within six months of submission and work is now ongoing within the extension area.
Cloud Hill Quarry, Leicestershire
Client: Ennstone Johnston Ltd
Heaton Planning was commissioned to submit prepare and submit a Planning Application for the erection of an Apshalt Plant and a Concrete Batching Plant. Planning permission was duly granted and the site has been successfully operating for the last few years.
Leaton Quarry, Telford & Wrekin
Client: Ennstone Building Products Ltd
Heaton Planning was commissioned to prepare and submit a planning application and supporting statement for the extension of the stocking yard at Leaton Quarry. Planning permission was successfully achieved for the site and is now fully operational.