News from the County Council about gravel pit plans

I set out below the text of an e mail that I have today received from Viv Codd at Suffolk County Council in respect of proposed gravel extraction at Chilton. Mr Codd writes:-

‘The application has now been amended, and in particular it embraces the following changes:

*The transfer and sorting of general wastes has been omitted from the application

*As a consequence of the above the number of daily HGV's has been reduced from 61 to 36, i.e. 72 movements

*It is proposed that some importation of inert soils be undertaken to achieve a satisfactory restoration at the 'lower level'

*The proposed means of access has been subject to more detailing and provides for the slight movement of the carriageway to the south and inclusion of additional land to provide for the realignment.

*A conveyor would be used in part to transport aggregate to the plant area;

*The boundaries of the site have been extended to embrace off site landscaping. This does not extend the area of extraction;

*Provision of a permissive footpath.

*Arrangements are in hand for the revisions to be subject to advertisement and public consultation for a period of 21 days. The relevant drawings and correspondence have been placed on the Council's web site.'

There is to be a site inspection on Friday 23rd November and the application is likely to be considered by the County Council Development Committee on Thursday January 24.

I haven’t yet had time to consider this closely but on the whole the proposals do seem to be something of an improvement on the previous plans, with fewer lorry movements, improved landscaping with an additional footpath, and the removal of the waste transfer activities. It seems that ‘bagging’ is going to continue (as far as I can see). The partial use of a conveyor belt rather than dumper trucks should reduce noise levels from the site.

What I believe must be guarded against at all costs however is the building of any ‘temporary’ industrial activity which could lead the land to be designated as ‘brownfield’ after the ten years extraction period, giving an excuse for housing development, or worse.

If anyone has any comments that I can pass on to Colin, who is our County Councillor and who I expect will be speaking at the meeting on 24^th January please e mail me at jenny.antill@babergh.gov.uk or at antillj@btinternet.com.