Agenda item

Report by Head of Planning Services.

To consider and determine the following application:

WSCC/051/019   Installation and Operation of a Soil Washing Facility.  Brookhurst Wood, Langhurstwood Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 4QD.

WSCC/051/19      Installation and Operation of a Soil Washing Facility.  Brookhurst Wood, Langhurstwood Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 4QD.

15.1   The Committee considered a report by the Head of Planning Services, as amended by the agenda update sheet (copy appended to the signed copy of the minutes).  The report was introduced by Jane Moseley, County Planning Manager, who gave a presentation on the proposals, details of the consultation and key issues in respect of the application.

15.2   The Committee noted that comments made by the following speakers on application WSCC/050/19 also apply to this application, where relevant:

·      Mr Brian Johnson, representing Langhurstwood Road Residents Group who spoke in objection, as noted in minute 14.3 above;

·      Mr James Stewart-Irvine, Planning Manager at Biffa who spoke in support, as noted in minute 14.4 above, and

·      Mr Peter Catchpole, local member for Holbrook who spoke on the application, as noted in minute 14.5, above.

15.3   The Committee also noted that where Planning Officers provided clarification on points raised by speakers on application WSCC/050/19 as noted in minute 14.5 above these also apply, where relevant, to this application.

15.3  The Committee also noted that points made by the Committee and responses provided by the Planning Officers and Legal Officers during debate on application WSCC/050/19 as noted in minute 14.6 above these also apply, where relevant, to this application.  It was clarified that in reference to ‘Need for additional HGV movements per day’ this can be also read as 60 HGV movements per day for this application.

15.4  During the debate the Committee raised the points below and clarification was provided by the Planning Officers and Legal Officers, where appropriate:

Warnham Parish council

Points raised – Surprise was expressed that there has been no objection from Warnham Parish Council.

Response – None required.

Residential Amenity

Points raised – The application site is quite a distance from residential properties and, therefore, there should be minimal impact from noise.  Because of HGV routing a small number of properties would be impacted by the proposed additional HGV movements.

Response – None required.

Drainage

Point raised – It may need to be specified that bunding is required to the south of the site to prevent pollution run off from stockpiles.

Response – Responses which were given in relation to application WSCC/050/19 under ‘Drainage – prevention of pollution outside the application site’ also apply in this case.  The operator must ensure under both planning and Environmental Permitting that spillage onto adjacent sites does not occur.  The scheme of surface water drainage, as specified in Condition 7 – Surface Water Drainage Scheme, will provide detailed specifications.

Stockpiles (specific to this application only)

Points raised – Is there a requirement to separate stockpiles of hazardous and non-hazardous waste?  Concern was raised over the lack of control of the height of stockpiles.  Restrictions may be necessary to prevent dust blow-off with its potential to impact on the environment and residential amenity.

Response – Stockpiles of hazardous and non-hazardous waste will be separated and will be in the open.  The control of hazardous waste is managed through the Environmental Permitting regime and so it is not necessary to include this as a proposed condition.  Stockpiles will be no higher than 4m due to the reach of the loading equipment.  The prevailing wind means dust blow-off would generally go towards the landfill which is much higher than the proposed site, but the Environmental Permit requires that dust must be contained within the site.

Tonnage throughput of hazardous and non-hazardous waste (specific to this application only)

Points raised – It may be necessary to limit by condition the levels of hazardous and non-hazardous waste allowed so as to control the level of hazardous waste allowed into the site.

Response – The management of hazardous waste would be controlled through the Environmental Permitting regime.

15.5  Mr S Oakley proposed that a new condition be included as follows:

17.  Stockpile Heights

Stockpiles shall be restricted to a height of 4 metres.

Reason: To effectively manage waste on the site and to minimise the impact of any dust blow-off onto adjacent land given the hazardous nature of a proportion of the waste, and to aid the visual impact.

This was seconded by Mrs Dennis and voted on by the Committee and approved by a majority.

15.6  Mr S Oakley proposed that the first sentence of the proposed amendment to Condition 11 – Quantities of Waste and Record Keeping, as per the agenda update sheet, should be further amended as follows:

No more than 100,000 29,999 tonnes of hazardous, and 70,001 tonnes of non-hazardous waste shall be managed at the site in any one year.  …

This was seconded by Mr Barratt-Mile and voted on by the Committee and approved unanimously.

15.7  The substantive recommendation, as amended by changes to conditions as noted in the agenda update sheet and as agreed by the Committee, was put to the Committee and approved by a majority.

15.8   Resolved – That planning permission be granted subject to amended conditions and informatives, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report and the agenda update sheet, as agreed by the Committee.

15.9   The Committee recessed at 12.40 and reconvened at 12.43 p.m.