News: Rotherham planning decision overturned in quarry quarrel
A Government planning inspector has confirmed that a mothballed limestone quarry can continue to operate in rural Rotherham.
Operators, Tarmac (previously Lafarge), has not used Harrycroft Quarry, which is in a Green Belt site between South Anston and Lindrick, for a number of years. It had previously operated with phased extraction and restoration (with imported inert materials) since original planning permission was granted in 1960.
Harrycroft still has permitted reserves of 2.55 million tonnes of limestone and plans went before the planning board at Rotherham Council last year that would have extended the time periods for extraction and restoration from December 31 2018 to 2031 for extraction, and to 2033 for restoration.
Going against the recommendation of its planning officers, the plans were refused by the board who stated that the current highways conditions were not adequate for the site.
Like previous plans for the site, the refusal has now been overturned after an interdependent planning inspector considered the implications of the proposal for highway safety on the A57.
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The Council is concerned that the access is unsuitable to cater for the additional HGV traffic entering and leaving the site via the A57.
However, the appellant's highway evidence includes a modelled junction capacity assessment which shows that the access is capable of accommodating vehicular movements generated by the extended quarrying and associated operations proposed on the site.
The Inspector, Michael Moffoot, said: "The access has therefore served the quarry for some significant time without incident. There are no records of accidents that are directly attributable to the use of the access by vehicles associated with the previous quarrying operations on the land.
"There are no material changes in the nature of the use of the access arising from the appeal proposal that would adversely affect the operational ability and capacity of the access to serve the quarry. Moreover, there have been no changes in highway design standards since the permission associated with the appeal scheme."
A number of measures are proposed, including removing obstructions, renewing the road surface and road markings, so it was concluded that the quarry would not materially harm highway safety on the A57.
Rotherham Council has avoided having to pay costs as it was judged to have provided sufficient evidence to support its case during the appeal.
Images: Whitcher Wildlife Ltd
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Operators, Tarmac (previously Lafarge), has not used Harrycroft Quarry, which is in a Green Belt site between South Anston and Lindrick, for a number of years. It had previously operated with phased extraction and restoration (with imported inert materials) since original planning permission was granted in 1960.
Harrycroft still has permitted reserves of 2.55 million tonnes of limestone and plans went before the planning board at Rotherham Council last year that would have extended the time periods for extraction and restoration from December 31 2018 to 2031 for extraction, and to 2033 for restoration.
Going against the recommendation of its planning officers, the plans were refused by the board who stated that the current highways conditions were not adequate for the site.
Like previous plans for the site, the refusal has now been overturned after an interdependent planning inspector considered the implications of the proposal for highway safety on the A57.
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The Council is concerned that the access is unsuitable to cater for the additional HGV traffic entering and leaving the site via the A57.
However, the appellant's highway evidence includes a modelled junction capacity assessment which shows that the access is capable of accommodating vehicular movements generated by the extended quarrying and associated operations proposed on the site.
The Inspector, Michael Moffoot, said: "The access has therefore served the quarry for some significant time without incident. There are no records of accidents that are directly attributable to the use of the access by vehicles associated with the previous quarrying operations on the land.
"There are no material changes in the nature of the use of the access arising from the appeal proposal that would adversely affect the operational ability and capacity of the access to serve the quarry. Moreover, there have been no changes in highway design standards since the permission associated with the appeal scheme."
A number of measures are proposed, including removing obstructions, renewing the road surface and road markings, so it was concluded that the quarry would not materially harm highway safety on the A57.
Rotherham Council has avoided having to pay costs as it was judged to have provided sufficient evidence to support its case during the appeal.
Images: Whitcher Wildlife Ltd
Rotherham
