Kirsty Charlton, committee services officer.
Thank you Chair, good morning.
Claire Cuskin, legal officer.
Steven Reed, planning manager, Chair.
Claire Teesdale, principal planning officer.
Thank you, all in all.
Do we have any apologies for absence, Kirsty?
Councillors Atkinson, Bell, Cura, Elmer, and Joplin.
Do we have any substitute members?
Councillor Oliver for Councillor Cura.
We should send our best wishes to Jim.
Have any of you heard how it's going on, David?
We had a slight stroke in here, so.
Okay, we wish him our best.
Anybody got any declarations of interest today?
Can we approve the minutes of the meeting held on the 5th of March, 2024?
Thank you, so we're on to the applications to be determined.
And that's starting with Claire, with the Windy Hill, Corey Edegleston.
Thank you.
The proposed development is a 1.36 hectare extension to the established and
operational Windy Hill Quarry, with the extraction of sandstone over a 25-year period.
The site is described in paragraph 115 of the officer report.
The site is located in open countryside adjacent to the road B6278 between Eggleston and Barnard Castle.
The application site, the proposed extension, is immediately east of the existing quarry,
as outlined on the screen.
It comprises an area of improved pasture used for sheep grazing and
enclosed by stone walls to the south and east and defense to the west.
An area's residential property, as you can see on the plan, is Roger Moore Farm, and
that's approximately 290 metres north.
There are other isolated properties, which are over 590 metres from the application site.
The site is located within an area of higher landscape value, as defined in the county Durham plan.
On the north Pennines area of outstanding natural beauty lies approximately 500 metres to the north.
There are no ecological designations within or adjacent to the application site.
Between 970 metres and 3 kilometres of the site, there are a number of local,
national and international ecological sites, as said out in the officer report.
There are no designated heritage assets within the application site,
with the closest being the grade two, Roger Moore Farmhouse and Diary,
which, as I've said, is approximately 290 metres to the north.
There are no public rights of way within or immediately adjacent to the application,
which would be affected by the proposed development.
The aerial photograph shows the existing quarry and the proposed extension outlined red.
This is a view of the proposed extension area from the B6278, looking west.
In the distance, you can just say they, I think that, sorry, it's not pointing.
In the distance, there are some white buildings, and that is the Roger Moore Farm.
This is another view of the proposed extension area, looking northeast.
And these are photographs of the existing fund along the B627,
looking east and then looking west.
And this is a picture of the existing site access from the B6278.
The proposal is described in detail in paragraphs 16 to 27 of the officer report.
And it's proposed that the site, as I said, would be worked over a 25 year period
with final restoration taking place within 12 months of the cessation of extraction.
The extension area will be worked in four phases, each in a south to north direction.
No blasting would take place within the extraction being undertaken by two excavators.
A mobile screen would be used to separate usable sandstone from clay.
Large blocks of sandstone of good quality would be exported to the operator site at Barnard Castle for cutting and processing.
The poorer quality stone being broken up and sold as walling stone.
Initial preparatory works would be the fencing offered the first phase,
instructing of soils for use and restoration, or of the existing site and the creation of a soil bond along the B6278.
That would be an extension to the soil mound that you saw on the photographs before.
So this would be the extension along here, and that's the existing mound.
The next two slides show the phasing and progressive restoration of the site.
And this shows the conceptual phase one and phase two working, and this one being phase three and phase four working.
In terms of the proposed restoration of the site,
post-restoration ground levels would be near to the original ground levels,
and the site would be seeded and used for grazing.
In terms of consultations and representations, these are set out in full and paragraphs at 81 to 97 of the officer report,
along with details of the publicity undertaken.
There's been no objections from statutory and internal consultees, subjective conditions were appropriate.
Landscape officers have identified some localized harm to the character and quality of the landscape,
and to the special qualities of the AHLV, and advise that the extent to which the benefits of development in this location
outweigh the harm as a matter of planning judgment.
Design and conservation officers identify less than substantial harm to the designated heritage assets,
and the need to consider if there are public benefits demonstrated that would outweigh the harm in the overall planning balance.
We've had one representation, and this is an objection from CPRE.
And CPRE accepts that having regard to relevant CDP policies, that in principle, the site is allocated for this type of development.
However, there is concerns regarding the impact upon the AHLV and the neighboring AONB.
They also consider that the biodiversity net gain should seek to protect birds of conservation concern,
and also enhance their conservation.
And they're also of the view that any application to extend the site should only be approved if there are compelling circumstances,
and due to a lack of information, they think that such circumstances have not been made out.
In summary, the proposed extension to Windy Hill Quarry has been carefully assessed
in terms of its allocation, operation and appearance, and subject conditions where appropriate,
the impacts are considered to be acceptable.
There would be some harm to the character and quality of the landscape to the special qualities of the AHLV
in respect to condition and scenic value, but subject to design considerations in details required through condition
in respect of working and restoration, it's considered that this would be localised.
Furthermore, the benefits of the proposal are considered to outweigh the harm.
It's also considered that the proposals would not be harmful to the special qualities
of statutory purpose of the AONB.
Less than substantial harm to designate the heritage assets as being identified,
but again, the public benefits that would arise as a result of the proposed development
are considered sufficient to outweigh this harm.
It's considered that there would not be an adverse impact on national and
international ecological designations subject to conditions,
nor would there be an adverse impact upon flora or fauna, including protected species,
a view endorsed by natural England and the Council's ecologist.
The proposal has generated one letter of objection from CPRA,
and this has been weighed along with other responses, including those of the statutory
consultees who have raised no overriding objections, subject to conditions where appropriate.
In conclusion, it's considered that the proposal is considered broadly
accord with relevant policies of the county Durham plan, county Durham minerals local plan,
emerging policies within the minerals and waste DPD document, and relevant sections of the NPPF.
I therefore recommend that the application be approved, subject to the conditions set out in
the officer report, and completion of a legal agreement under section 39 of the Wildlife and
Country Side Act to secure biodiversity management to achieve the agreed biodiversity net gain.
Thank you.
Thank you, Claire. We have no objectives, and we've got the applicant's agent,
Katie Ward, to either speak or answer questions, which do you want to do, Katie?
I don't mind. I've got a short piece I can just read out, and then I can answer questions.
Looks for us, fine. Thank you.
Thank you very much for letting me speak, and I'm also a company by Angela, who's
one of the Jackson family who's having a bit of a break from the lambing shed, I think.
But FR Jackson's is a small family-run business that has operated Windy Hill since 1984.
The quarry produces a buff-colored sandstone that can be used for dry stone walling and landscaping
purposes, as well as block for construction. Any stone that needs to be cut is imported into
their yard in Barnard Castle. The existing quarry, as shown by Claire, up on the overhead projectors,
has nearly been worked out, and this small extension in the corner of the adjacent field
will allow the operator to continue to provide this stone for projects in the region.
It will also sustain this local family business and support the employment opportunities it provides.
The site will be operated in exactly the same manner as it is now. There will be no blasting,
the material is just removed by an excavator. The waste material and overburden will then be
used to backfill the void and restore the site as work progresses. The existing access will be
used, and the compound in the existing site will be retained, and again, as was shown to you by
your officer, there will be a screening bond that will be extended to run alongside the road to
screen views of the site. There are few residential properties nearby, and no complaints have been
received in relation to its operation. Windy Hill quarry has received Don County Council's high
grade mark for the last two consecutive years awarded following monitoring site visits.
This clearly demonstrates the operator's ability to adhere to the terms of the planning conditions
attached to any permission. In conclusion, this is a small extension to this site that will have
a negligible impact on the surrounding environment and will allow this family firm to continue to
provide natural sandstone products and to support the family business. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Katie. Are you anything further to add, Clare?
Any questions from members of Katie?
No, we'll open it up for the bit. Who would like to go off first? Craig, thank you. Craig Martin.
Craig Martin, Councillor for North Lodge and Chesley Street. I think the only perceived harm that could
be said of this is that it is a beautiful countryside out there in Eccleston, and I go walking around
there a lot. But this is a quarry going next to a site that is already in existence and operational.
It is hard to spot it when you look at different, when you're out and about there and having a
look. To be honest, before this planning application come along, I didn't realise there was a quarry
there in Eccleston having walked around there a bit over the last 10 years. And under my
understanding of the county plan, and I'm sure I'll be corrected by this, is that we have to put
particular weight against the extraction of minerals and building materials, etc. It has a higher
hurdle to go over if you're going to object to it. So, Chair, I can't see of any reason why
we would object to this. So, I'd like to move that we accept the planning officers' recommendations
and move for approval. Thank you very much for that, Craig. I don't know who's first, but David and
then Simon. I don't know if this is a question for the officer or the people at the back, but
if it's going to be an extension to an existing list, will there be any increase in the
road cleaning processes? Because I know I'm quarries from over my area that the roads do get
quite scruffy in times, and it's not good for the cars that drive and pass or are there any
existing road cleaning measures under? Will there be an increase with the increase of the quarry?
I think this is a seasonal quarry, and it's like two men that tend to operate it,
you know, and it tends to be more in the drier weather. The conditions would require, if you look at
condition 13 of the proposed conditions, and that would require measures to be taken to ensure
that vehicles leave in the site or for thoroughly cleansed, and that you're not going to get mud on
the road. I think this one, with it being a smaller scale site, measures would be put in place,
but it's not, you know, the larger scale sites that you're probably more aware of.
Thanks for that, David. Simon, please. Yeah, just looking at it, to be
perfect, honest, obviously on the balance, I do think. Oh, God, he was something.
Does that be better? So I am just looking at this, obviously on the balance, I can't see where
there's significant harm or enough harm that would all return this in any shape or form,
so given that I'm quite happy to go with the officer's recommendation, I'll stack in this.
Thank you. Does anybody else want to add anything?
Just say I'm a straightforward application, so we'll go over to the vote then. All those in favour,
please, sure. Thank you. That's unanimous. And as far as I'm aware, that concludes today's business.
So with maybe, have we set a new record? We're going to live with it. Thank you. Thank you for your attention. Bye.
[end]
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