Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence received.

Apologies were received from Cllrs Rod Cooper and Adam Jackman. Cllr Hugh Lumby was present as a substitute.

Cllr Lesley Meenaghan was present to observe the meeting.

All Members who believe they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting must declare that interest and, having regard to Part 3 Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members’ Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code.  Furthermore all Members with a Personal Interest in a matter being considered at the meeting should consider, having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 4 of the Code, whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 5 of the Code, consider whether it is appropriate to leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter considered at the meeting they must declare that interest at the time of the relevant debate and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3, Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Non-Pecuniary interest in a matter being considered at the meeting they considered whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 2 of the Code, considered whether it was appropriate to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

No declarations were made.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting

The minutes of the last meeting were reviewed and agreed

To receive any deputations notified under Standing Order 12.

The Chairman confirmed that there were deputations for item number 6, which would be called at the relevant point in the agenda.

To receive any announcements the Chairman may wish to make.

The Chairman confirmed that there were deputations for item number 6, which would be called at the relevant point in the agenda.

To consider a report from the Assistant Director of Minerals, Waste and Environment regarding a planning application for an extension of mineral working at Roke Manor Quarry, to extract circa 600,000 tonnes of sand and gravel from the Stanbridge Ranvilles Extension, including continuation of on-site mineral processing, backfilling with inert material and progressive restoration to agriculture with increased nature conservation and biodiversity enhancements at Roke Manor Quarry - Stanbridge Ranvilles Extension, Salisbury Road, Shootash SO51 6GA.

An extension of mineral working at Roke Manor Quarry, to extract circa 600,000 tonnes of sand and gravel from the Stanbridge Ranvilles Extension, including continuation of on-site mineral processing, backfilling with inert material and progressive restoration to agriculture with increased nature conservation and biodiversity enhancements at Roke Manor Quarry - Stanbridge Ranvilles Extension, Salisbury Road, Shootash SO51 6GA (No. 21/01274/CMAS) TV226.

The Development Planning Manager introduced the report, drawing the Committee’s attention to:

·        Paragraphs 116-130, which detailed the demonstration of the need and requirements for sharp sand and gravel as a mineral resource, to which the proposal would contribute.

·         The existing quarry being identified in Policy 20 of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan as an existing mineral extraction site. It is also safeguarded under Policies 15, 16 and 26).

·        The existing site Liaison Panel for the quarry which had recently met.

·        The fact that the report and the decision need to apply to the adopted Hampshire Mineral and Waste Plan. The Committee was reminded that no weight can be given to the draft update to the Minerals and Waste Plan due to the early stage in plan preparation.

The Project Officer gave a presentation to the Committee for context, which included a location plan, cross sections, sight lines, phasing diagrams, aerial views and photos including:

·         The site, including the weighbridge

·         The A27

·         The proximity of Awbridge and Romsey

·         The public right of way

·         Squabb Wood

·         The nearby residential properties – Homeview, Croylands and Troy House

·         The existing haul road

·         The central hedgerow

·         Old Salisbury Lane, with the view from the southern footpath

·         The proposed bunding.

The Project Officer explained the consultation undertaken and responses received. She confirmed that the Environmental Health Officer had not objected, subject to conditions. There had been 100 public representations. This number had been revised from 99 in the Update Report, which had been published on 12 December 2022.

The Project Officer went on the confirm the key issues, which were:

• Ecological impacts
• Impacts on neighbouring amenity
• Noise
• Air quality and dust
• Landscape and visual impacts
• Arboricultural impacts, the initial issues of which had now been resolved.

The Committee received deputations from the following residents:

• Sarah Leach, Lizzi Brazier, Sue Brophy andRichard Rudkin.

Their principal areas of concern were:

• That they had lived with mineral extraction for some years and were concerned about the cumulative effect of the quarries.
• That they felt the previous extraction sites had not been restored satisfactorily, within timescales and lacked confidence in the proposed completion and restoration times.
• The effect of the existing quarry and proposed extension on their health and wellbeing (including Air pollution, noise and dust impacts).
• The proximity and visual impact of the site to their properties including the impact of the proposed 5 metre bunds.
• The lack of active vegetation management on existing bunds.
• The length of time, daily, that the quarry is worked for.
• A poor history of the implementation of mitigation measures.
• The proposal to fell mature trees and to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 96.