Agenda item

(1)       The Head of Planning Applications Group reported two urgent decisions taken under Section 1.7 of Appendix 2 Part 3 of the Constitution.  The first of these was a request from Gallagher Aggregates Ltd to agree to out of hours working at Hermitage Quarry to enable the supply of aggregates to the Manston Lorry Park Project up until the end of March 2019. This is supported by Government as part of Hard Brexit contingency planning.

(2)       The request sought a 3-hour extension to the operating day until the end of March 2019 to allow up to 50 HGV movements between 1800 and 2100 hours on Mondays to Fridays and between 0700 and 1300 hours on Saturdays, although a specified number of pre-loaded vehicles were also able to leave Hermitage Quarry from 0630 hours.

(3)       Gallagher Aggregates Ltd advised that it would try to undertake the necessary HGV movements during the normal working day but recognised that it might need the additional periods to supply the required quantity of aggregates. It also advised that allowing the additional hours would not result in the permitted average (600) or maximum (900) number of HJV movements per day being exceeded.

(4)       It was not possible to secure any formal planning permission in the timescale involved.

(5)       The views of the Chairman of the Planning Applications Committee and the Local Member, Mr P J Homewood were sought in advance of the decision being made.  Neither had an objection to the request. 

(6)       In agreeing to the request, considerable weight was given to the exceptional circumstances in this case, the urgent need to make appropriate arrangements for a potential hard Brexit, the views of the consulted Members and the fact that it was not possible to secure any formal planning permission in time to facilitate the proposed operations.

(7)       For the avoidance of doubt, this approval only related to those operations necessary for the delivery of aggregates (including loading HGVs) and the additional hours were not permitted to be used for other operations at the quarry.

(8)       The second urgent decision was a request from Sean Body (Robert Body Haulage Ltd) to agree temporary out of hours working at Borough Green Landfill to enable works to take place on the A25 to support preparations for Brexit.

(9)       The Company sought agreement to facilitate works on the A25 between Sevenoaks and Wrotham Hill starting on Monday, 11 February and lasting for a period of 5 or 6 weeks. 

(10)     The works would enable the A25 to be “made good” (e.g. overlays and kerbs) so that the A25 could be used safely by additional traffic if the M26 were to be used as a lorry park as a result of Brexit.

(11)     A maximum of 10 lorry loads would take place between 1900 and soon after 2400 hours. Following the last delivery – perhaps as late as 0030 hours, the vehicles would stay on site as it would belong to Robert Body Haulage and be based at the site.

(12)     It was likely that this would only be required for 2 to 3 nights each week.

(13)     No processing would take place over night and agreement would be limited to the deposit of materials to the permitted recycling area. The wheel wash facilities would be used.

(14)     The views of the Chairman of the Planning Applications Committee and the Local Member, Mr H Rayner were sought. Neither of them had an objection to the request.  Mr Rayner advised that he fully supported the request, subject to a condition regarding routing to ensure that HGVs loaded or empty avoided the use of Western Road or High Street in Borough Green to access or egress Borough Green Landfill via Borough Green and the Wrotham Railway Station road bridge.

(15)     In agreeing to the request, considerable weight was given to the exceptional circumstances in this case, the urgent need to make arrangements for a potential hard Brexit, the views of the consulted Members and the fact that it was not possible to secure any formal planning permission in time to facilitate operations.

(16)     For the avoidance of doubt, this approval only related to those operations necessary for the delivery of the above contract and the additional hours were not permitted to be used for other operations at Borough Green Landfill site.

(17)     RESOLVED to note matters dealt with under delegated powers since the last meeting relating to:-

(a)          County matter applications;

(b)        County Council developments;

(c)          Screening Opinions under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017;

(d)          Scoping Opinions under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (None); and

(e)          The Urgent decisions taken under Section 1.7 of Appendix 2 Part 3 of the Constitution as set out in (1) to (16) above.