Agenda item

(A report by Neil McBride, Development Manager, which presents the preferred mineral and waste sites and areas proposed for progression through to the Draft Site Locations Development Plan Document)

(NOTE: Councillor A Austin requested that a note should be made in the minutes that she lived approximately 200 metres from the Riverside Industrial estate.

Councillor C L Strange requested that a note should be made in the minutes that his daughter and son-in-lawfarmed around the south west of the quarry at Swinderby and he would not comment on this site).

The Committee received a report and presentation in connection with proposed mineral and waste site/area allocation for the Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan, which was the second of two documents which comprised the Plan. The report presented the preferred mineral and waste sites and areas proposed for progression through to the Draft Site Locations Development Plan Document. At this stage the selection was provisional as further information was required for some of the mineral sites. On completion, the Draft Site Locations Development Plan Document would be presented to the Executive for consideration and approval prior to being subject to a period of public consultation.

Officers explained the criteria used to select the various sites, the various consultations with the aggregates industry and local authorities.

Comments by the Committee in connection with the waste sites and areas included:-

1. Were the sites chosen in addition to sites which existed already?

2. Was there a policy already in place in which waste had to go to the Energy from Waste plant at North Hykeham?

3. Management of current waste by operators and how many would send waste to the Energy from Waste plant?

4. Kirton Distribution Park site had not been considered suitable and had caused a public outcry when the County Council previously examined proposals to locate a Waste Transfer Station there to supply the Energy from Waste plant. The site was having success in attracting businesses and if a waste site was proposed here then businesses would not come to the site.

5. The Riverside Industrial site was ideal to use for a waste site/area as it already had a County Council Waste Transfer Station and different types of businesses. Was there zoning of the site for businesses?

6. The Wardentree site, Spalding, was huge and just around the corner from the County Council's Waste Transfer Station although it was noted that there had not been any involvement by members of South Holland District Council by their officers in choosing this site.

7. The use of Clay Lakes and Wardentree sites, Spalding, were supported in principle but additional sites needed to be identified in South Holland as this covered a huge area.

8. Was the site on the A16, Grimsby Road, Louth, an extension of the present site?

9. Concern about the proposed site on land to the west of The Reservation, North Kesteven as this was near a recently approved planning application for a hotel development.

10. The proposed site at Envirotyre, Spalding Road, Sutterton was believed to be in the countryside.

A motion moved by Councillor C L T H Brewis, seconded by Councillor M Brookes, that the Executive should be recommended to remove Kirton Distribution Park, from the list of sites identified as future waste sites/areas, was agreed by 10 votes for, 0 votes against and 0 abstentions.

Officers gave a word of caution that if during the consultation process all of the sites were taken out due to local concerns then the Local Plan could not be taken forward. There was a need to bear in mind that there was a need to identify sufficient sites.

Officers' responses to comments in connection with the proposed waste sites/areas included:-

1. With regard to the management of waste at the current time a waste needs assessment and existing waste capacity had been examined and this would act as a benchmark to estimate the likely levels of waste in the future. In the future the amount of waste would increase and therefore there was a need to identify additional capacity. This would lead to the expansion of existing sites and the need for newer sites and then the waste industry could be directed to these sites. Twelve waste management operations were being examined, including for composting, etc, but no landfill sites were involved.

2. B2 and B8 sites had been identified as suitable for the waste industry.

3. The County Council was aware of the issues at the Kirton Distribution Park site but waste sites were now better managed and had improved considerably compared to the past and there would not be any conflict with other businesses on the site.

4. With regard to the Riverside Industrial Estate discussions had taken place with Boston Borough Council officers about areas for waste management facilities and B2 and B8 sites were suitable. Boston's officers had not identified any plots and had only said that the site was suitable.

5. The Wardentree and Clay Lakes sites had been suggested by South Holland District Council's officers and these had come following a desk top exercise. Both sites were suitable for waste sites and businesses would be directed to these sites.

6. With regard to the shortage of sites in South Holland both the sites detailed in paragraph 5, above, would go out to consultation and it was possible that other sites could be identified.

7. With regard to the A16 Grimsby Road site, Louth, this was not an extension to the present site but as a possible site where development could take place.

8. Further consultations would take place with North Kesteven District Council officers in connection with the proposed waste site on land to the west of The Reservation, Sleaford.

9. A further check would be carried out on the proposed site at Envirotyre, Spalding Road as officers believed it had been identified as industrial land.

10. The Committee was reassured that all of the sites would be examined to ensure that matters such as dust were addressed to avoid sites being bad neighbours.

In connection with the proposed mineral sites, officers stated that since the publication of the report the following amendments had been received:-

·         Site MS05-LT (Norton Bottoms) – the eastern boundary had been amended to provide a greater "stand-off" from the village of Stapleford.

·         Site MS07-CL (Kettleby Quarry) – had been re-classified as a Preferred Site

·         Site MS08-CL (Kettleby Quarry) – had been reduced in area, with the southern part excluded from the site.

Comments by the Committee in connection with the mineral sites identified included:-

1. The need to keep Parish Councils informed of developments.

2. The need to improve the access from the quarry site to the A1084 in connection with the proposed site at Kettleby Quarry, Bigby and also the need to examine landscaping at this site as it was in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Officers stated that landscaping was covered in the Core Strategy.

RESOLVED

(a) That the preferred mineral sites for inclusion in the Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Draft Site Locations Development Plan Document currently being prepared for public consultation which is expected to commence in Autumn 2015, be endorsed, subject to the following amendments being noted:-

·         Site MS05-LT (Norton Bottoms) – the eastern boundary had been amended to provide a greater "stand-off" from the village of Stapleford.

·         Site MS07-CL (Kettleby Quarry) – had been re-classified as a Preferred Site

·         Site MS08-CL (Kettleby Quarry) – had been reduced in area, with the southern part excluded from the site.

(b) That the preferred waste sites and areas for inclusion in the Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Draft Site Locations Development Plan Document currently being prepared for public consultation, be endorsed, subject to the Executive being recommended to remove Kirton Distribution Park, from the list of sites identified as future waste sites/areas.

(c) That the Development Manager be authorised, in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, to make changes to the preferred sites prior to consideration by the Executive where this is necessary to amend any errors, or where a proponent of a site fails to provide the verification/clarification details currently being sought.