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Regulatory - Planning Committee - Monday, 2 December 2024 10.00 am

December 2, 2024 View on council website
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Summary

This meeting was about making decisions on two planning applications, reviewing current and completed enforcement cases, and noting some decisions that had been made by officers.

Installation of a solar farm at the former Williamthorpe Colliery

The most significant item on the agenda was an application by Derbyshire County Council for the installation of a solar farm at Land at Former Williamthorpe Colliery, Mansfield Road, Temple Normanton. The site consists of 10.31 hectares of land that is currently used for grazing. It is adjacent to a Local Nature Reserve and a Local Wildlife Site, and the nearest homes are around 50 metres away.

The solar farm would cover 9.7 hectares and have an installed capacity of 3.7 Mega Watts. The applicant stated that the solar farm would be temporary, with a lifespan of 40 years, and proposed that after decommissioning the site would be restored to its previous use as grazing land.

The application has been submitted as a direct result of DCC’s Climate Change Strategy ... This, alongside DCC’s target to reduce its carbon footprint to net zero by 2032, aims to reduce carbon emissions across the whole County to net zero by 2050.

In response to a consultation by the Council, 9 representations were received, 7 of which objected to the proposal. Objections were made on the grounds that the development would cause a loss of fertile farmland, have a negative impact on wildlife, and be an eyesore. Concerns were also raised that factory or shop roofs were not being used instead of green open spaces.

Extension to Willington Quarry

The second most significant item on the agenda was an application by CEMEX UK Operations Ltd for permission to extend Willington Quarry in a way that would see the actual quarrying operations taking place over the River Dove in Staffordshire. The application included using the existing processing plant and highway access within Derbyshire to process and transport the mineral.

Permission to extract the mineral in Staffordshire was the subject of a parallel application, reference SCC/22/0107/FULL-ES, that had been determined by Staffordshire County Council’s Planning Committee at its meeting on 1 August 2024. This committee resolved to approve the application, subject to conditions.

The part of the application that was to be considered by this meeting was the use of the existing plant and infrastructure at Willington to process and export the mineral from the extension. This is a continuation of the activities that are currently authorised under the extant permissions for the site, so no changes to the rate of output or vehicle movements were proposed.

11 representations were received, with objections being made on the grounds that there would be unacceptable noise and dust impacts, a negative landscape impact, damage to heritage assets, an increased risk of flooding, and a negative impact on residents’ health.

Current Enforcement Action

The committee were asked to note a report on current enforcement action, which provided an update on three ongoing enforcement cases:

  • Lindrick, Mansfield Road, Corbriggs - Unauthorised storage and processing of waste
  • Stancliffe Quarry - Non-compliance with condition 43 of planning permission CM3/0918/48 relating to stability of land adjacent to quarry face
  • Land at Lady Lea Road, Horsley - Importation and deposit of material onto land

The committee were told that an appeal had been lodged with the Planning Inspectorate about the enforcement notice relating to the land at Lady Lea Road, that the appeal start date was 8 September 2020, and that compliance monitoring of the other notices was ongoing.

Matters Determined by the Executive Director - Place under Delegated Powers

Finally, the committee were asked to note a report listing 11 planning applications that had been decided by officers under delegated powers between 22 September and 15 November 2024.

The applications included a non-material amendment to an existing planning permission, 8 full applications and two applications for approval of details that were required by conditions attached to existing permissions. The most significant application listed in the report was one by Derbyshire County Council for the development of a 5.6 km long Greenway. This would see a 3 metre wide surfaced path built on the trackbed of the former Midland Railway Ripley Branch Line.

Development of Part of the Former Midland Railway Ripley Branch Line to Construct a 3m Wide, 5.6 Kilometres Long Surfaced Strategic Greenway between Duffield Road, Little Eaton (South) and A609 Rawson Green (North).

Attendees

Profile image for CouncillorRon Ashton
CouncillorRon Ashton  Conservative
Profile image for CouncillorGarry Hickton
CouncillorGarry Hickton  Cabinet Support Member - Children’s Services and Safeguarding •  Conservative
Profile image for CouncillorPaul Niblock
CouncillorPaul Niblock  Liberal Democrat
Profile image for Councillor David Wilson
Councillor David Wilson  Pensions and Investments Committee Chairman •  Conservative
Stephen Brent
Nigel Atkinson
Benjamin Greenwood
Juliette Normington
Dane Handley Parkin

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

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