stancombe quarry, flax bourton, bristol, bs48 3qd. · 3.8 the extraction of stone within the...

Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, Bristol, BS48 3QD.

Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact

Assessment) Regulations 2011.

Request for a Regulation 13 Scoping Opinion for an

Environmental Impact Assessment to accompany a

planning application to extend Stancombe Quarry to

the south into the Spinney.

December 2011

Applicant: Agent: Tarmac Limited Quarryplan (GB) Limited

Stancombe Quarry Redmays

Stancombe Lane Cheddar Road

Flax Bourton Wedmore

Bristol Somerset

BS48 3QD BS28 4EP

Stancombe Quarry Scoping Request

1

Contents

Scoping Request page

1 Executive Summary 2

2 Need for an Environmental Impact Assessment 3

3 Site Description 4

4 Development Background 6

5 The Spinney – General 8

6 The Spinney – Development Detail 10

7 Defining the Scope of the Environmental Impact Assessment 13

8 Conclusion 19

Tables

Table 1 Scoping Schedule for Environmental Statement 18

Plans

Location Plan

Site Summary Plan

Aerial photograph

Stancombe/Spinney Working Areas

Stancombe/Spinney Final Quarry Face Development

Concept Restoration


2

1 Executive Summary 1.1 Stancombe Quarry is operated by Tarmac Limited (Tarmac) and produces on average

one million tonnes of limestone per year for use in the construction industry as

aggregate, asphalt, concrete and concrete blocks. Over 270 people are employed at

Stancombe which is the largest quarry operation in North Somerset and the western

regional office for Tarmac.

1.2 A planning application is to be made by Tarmac during 2012 to extend Stancombe

Quarry in a southerly direction into an area known as the Spinney. This area is

identified for future quarrying as an extension to Stancombe in the adopted Avon

Mineral Plan.

1.3 Access to the majority of the permitted limestone reserves at Stancombe is restricted

and there is only four years of readily available stone remaining.

1.4 The Spinney would provide an additional nine million tonnes of limestone and by

extending the quarry into the Spinney the restrictions affecting the existing reserves

could be overcome and all the reserves would be recoverable.

1.5 The end date for operating the quarry would need to be extended from the current

end date of 2023 to 2043, in order to allow sufficient time to extract the existing

reserves and those within the Spinney.

1.6 There are no proposals to alter the method of working at the quarry, the depth of

extraction, the operational hours, the site access or the permitted level of output from

the site.

1.7 A formal Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be required to accompany the

planning application because the site is greater than 25 hectares in extent and an EIA

is mandatory in such circumstances.

1.8 This document is a Scoping Request which sets out the background to the site,

identifies the detail of the proposals and considers the extent of the EIA.

1.9 The formal opinion of North Somerset Council is sought on the scope of the

assessment to be carried out within the EIA to accompany the planning application.


3

2 Need for an Environmental Impact Assessment 2.1 The assessment of potential environmental effects arising from certain development is

to be carried out as required under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental

Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2011. The Regulations require

that prior to the grant of development consent an Environmental Impact Assessment

is to be undertaken on large scale developments or those located in sensitive areas.

The responsibility for undertaking the assessment lies with the developer.

2.2 The proposed planning application to extend Stancombe Quarry is in excess of 25

hectares in extent and it is mandatory that an EIA is carried out for quarry proposals of

such size.

2.3 Before preparing an EIA a developer is able to obtain a formal Scoping Opinion from

the relevant planning authority on the environmental aspects to be assessed and the

planning authority must state in writing its opinion on the requirements of the

assessment.

2.4 This document seeks the formal Scoping Opinion of North Somerset Council on the

aspects that need to be assessed within the EIA to accompany the planning

application to extend Stancombe Quarry into the Spinney. Plans are included in order

to identify the land and the proposed development.

2.5 A description of the quarry and extension area is provided in section 3, the reasoning

behind the proposals is set out in section 4 and a description of the development is

contained in sections 5 and 6. The potential impacts on the environment are identified

in section 7 and in section 8 the Council is requested to confirm the scope of the EIA.


4

3 Site Description 3.1 Tarmac has operated Stancombe Quarry since 1995 when the quarrying operations of

Wimpey Limited were merged with those of Tarmac. The quarry has been operational

since at least the 1940’s and has direct access to the A370 Bristol to Weston-super-

Mare road.

3.2 The quarry lies approximately 1.0 kilometre (km) to the south of the village of Flax

Bourton and 4.0 km to the south-east of Nailsea in the North Somerset Council area.

The centre of Bristol is 12 km to the north east. The quarry location is shown on the

accompanying Location Plan reference S109/529. The Ordnance Survey grid

reference for the quarry is ST 503 683.

3.3 Stancombe Quarry contains a large aggregate processing plant, two asphalt plants, a

ready mixed concrete batching plant and a concrete block factory which all depend on

the quarry for the supply of raw materials. The quarry extends to 69 hectares in total

and supplies approximately one million tonnes of crushed rock aggregate each year

for local construction use including asphalt products for road surfacing, concrete

blocks and ready mixed concrete for construction works. The quarry is the largest

supplier of construction aggregates and materials within North Somerset.

3.4 The regional offices for Tarmac are also located at the quarry and over 270 people are

directly or indirectly employed by Tarmac at Stancombe.

3.5 The quarry is shown outlined in red on the accompanying Site Summary Plan

reference S109/574.

3.6 Tarmac intends to apply for planning permission during 2012 to extend Stancombe

Quarry into an area to the south known as the Spinney. The Spinney lies immediately

adjacent to the southern boundary of Stancombe Quarry and amounts to 12.4

hectares of land consisting of a relatively level area of 11 hectares of grassland, used

for cattle grazing, and a 1.4 hectare belt of trees.

3.7 The Spinney is bounded to the north by Stancombe Quarry, to the west by Backwell

Hill Road and a public bridleway, to the south by Long Lane and to the east by

woodland known as the Spinney, being part of the Bourton Coombe woodland. The

position of the Spinney relative to the existing quarry is shown on the Site Summary

Plan. An aerial photograph of the existing quarry and the Spinney is also included

within the plans section.

3.8 The extraction of stone within the Spinney would use the same techniques and

equipment as currently employed at the quarry, this involves drilling and blasting

limestone in benches 15 metres deep and transporting blasted stone by dump truck to

the existing fixed processing plant where it is crushed and screened into a variety of

aggregate sizes.


5

3.9 There are no proposals to alter the method of extraction or processing, the depth of

extraction, the operational hours, the site access or the permitted level of output from

the quarry. Instead the application would simply allow limestone extraction from

within the Spinney area as a continuation of the existing quarry operations.

3.10 This Scoping Request explains the above proposals in more detail and provides

information on the potential environmental impacts arising from the development to

allow North Somerset Council to determine the extent of the Environmental Impact

Assessment to accompany the planning application.


6

4 Development Background

4.1 At the end of December 2010 the consented reserves of limestone at Stancombe

Quarry amounted to 23.6 million tonnes. However, access to the majority of these

reserves is restricted and there is only four years of readily available stone remaining.

4.2 The Spinney would provide an additional 9.2 million tonnes of limestone and by

extending into the Spinney the restrictions affecting the existing reserves could be

overcome and all the reserves would be recoverable.

4.3 Of the 23.6 million tonnes of reserves a total of 19.6 million tonnes are constrained or

are only accessible at considerable cost and disruption. Only 4.0 million tonnes of

reserves are readily available, sufficient for four years output at average production

rates.

4.4 The various constraints which restrict the working of the 19.6 million tonnes (mt) can

be summarised as follows:

1.1 mt of conglomerate material.

5.4 mt of limestone is constrained by the conglomerate.

2.3 mt of limestone is constrained in geotechnical terms.

8.0 mt of limestone lies beneath the fixed processing plant and water table.

2.8 mt of limestone lies beneath the stockyard and water table.

4.5 These restrictions are explained in more detail below.

1.1 mt of conglomerate material

4.6 Although the conglomerate is notionally classified as mineral reserve it is only saleable

as a low grade fill because of its high mudstone content which restricts its end use as a

construction aggregate. It cannot be regarded as limestone reserve. Sales of

conglomerate are unpredictable and historically material has been sold very gradually

or to a few major construction projects which require large volumes of low cost

material.

4.7 Sales of conglomerate at the present time amount to only 50,000 tonnes per year and

there are no large contracts locally which would take greater volumes, however, it is

expected that large fill contracts can be secured over a prolonged period of time.

4.8 The alternative to selling the conglomerate would be to extract it and tip it either

within the quarry or outside the quarry.

4.9 Tipping material inside the quarry would either sterilise further limestone or incur

enormous costs and tipping outside the quarry is cost prohibitive.


7

5.4 mt of limestone constrained by conglomerate

4.10 The conglomerate lies above limestone which is only accessible when the

conglomerate has been removed.

2.3 mt of limestone constrained in geotechnical terms

4.11 As a consequence of working the quarry in a north – south direction it has been found

necessary to provide increased bench widths in order to ensure a safe working

environment and compliance with quarrying regulations due to the dipping strata in

the southernmost quarry faces. By increasing bench widths limestone must be left un-

worked.

8.0 mt of limestone beneath the fixed processing plant and water table

4.12 The limestone beneath the fixed processing plant can only be extracted by developing

four more quarry benches below the level of the plant. The plant was designed in its

existing location to provide the maximum productivity in terms of processing stone

and loading vehicles. The processing plant is in good condition and will be able to

process stone effectively and efficiently for many more years. The two adjacent

asphalt plants would also need to be moved.

4.13 These plants are not mobile and would need to be dismantled and relocated or

replaced which would be unnecessary, costly and disruptive.

4.14 The existing plant site amounts to 4.0 hectares in extent and to replace the plant

would require at least the same amount of space. Such an area is simply not available

within the quarry.

4.15 Extraction of the lowest two quarry benches would be below the water table. The

quarry would need to be dewatered to allow the final reserves of stone to be worked.

The considerable volumes of water that would need to be discharged from site would

need to be managed before being pumped off site. There is insufficient space within

the quarry at the present time to develop a water management area.

2.8 mt of limestone beneath the stockyard and water table

4.16 The stockyard amounts to approximately 3.0 hectares in extent and similar issues exist

with the stone lying beneath the stockyard as occur with the stone beneath the

processing plant. There is limited space within the quarry to relocate the stockyard.

Any relocation would interfere with the continued extraction of stone.


8

5 The Spinney Development - General 5.1 The Spinney is identified in the adopted Avon Minerals Plan as a Preferred Area for

extraction and the logical extension area for the development of Stancombe Quarry.

The Spinney forms the final part of the extension area at the quarry, the first part of

the extension area having been granted planning permission in 2000.

5.2 The Minerals Plan sets out a number of requirements for the development of the

Stancombe extension area (page 46) which are identified and commented on below:

(i) Phased southward extension of Stancombe Quarry to Long Lane with

perimeter landscaping and the retention of important topographic features

(eg the Spinney). The depth of extraction will depend on implications for

water resources;

Comment: perimeter landscaping is proposed and the Spinney woodland would be

retained (the Spinney woodland is the woodland along the eastern side of the

extension area outside the application boundary). All extraction in the Spinney is above

the water table and water issues would be fully addressed in the EIA.

(ii) Improvements to the A370 – Stancombe Lane junction;

Comment: the improvements to the A370 have been completed.

(iii) Relocation of the existing plant complex in Stancombe Quarry further inside

the quarry to maximise concealment;

Comment: the existing plant has been relocated further inside the quarry and is fully

concealed.

(iv) Tree planting on the vacated plant base to complement woodland in Bourton

Combe;

Comment: the tree planting on the plant base has been completed.

(v) Eventual removal of the plant complex followed by tree planting in the

excavation to form a woodland, gorge-like feature.

Comment: the removal of the plant complex and tree planting would be undertaken

during final restoration.

5.3 The proposed development of the Spinney is in accord with the Minerals Plan.

5.4 By working the Spinney a number of the constraints affecting the existing quarry,

which have been referred to above, can be reduced or overcome.

5.5 The Spinney contains 9.2 mt of limestone, sufficient for nine years production, and

1.35 mt of conglomerate. The quarry benches within the Spinney would be widely


9

spaced due to the relatively shallow depth of the limestone and this allows the full

extent of the working to be developed relatively quickly. This in turn would provide

worked out areas of the quarry to tip conglomerate which would not sterilise any

underlying limestone.

5.6 The benefits of developing the Spinney include the following:

Improved geotechnical stability of all the quarry faces by working from the south to

north which is a safer way of working the quarry.

Allows the 2.3 mt of limestone with geotechnical constraints in the existing quarry

to be extracted.

All extraction in the Spinney is above the water table so no water management area

or off site dewatering is required.

Provides an extra nine years of limestone production during which time additional

conglomerate can be sold.

If substantial sales of conglomerate do not arise over the next 9 years the Spinney

provides sufficient space to tip the conglomerate without sterilising any stone or

requiring multiple movements of material.

Avoids any impacts of moving conglomerate into Hyatts Wood Quarry.

Delays the disruption and costs of relocating the fixed plant and stockyard areas.

Provides additional area to address the water balancing/compensation pond issues.

5.7 The end date for quarrying at the site would need to be extended from the current

date of 2023. This date was determined assuming an annual output of 1.5 million

tonnes per year however output has averaged only 1.0 million tonnes and therefore

additional time is required to extract the remaining reserves along with the Spinney

material. An end date of 2043 would be sufficient to extract all the stone at a rate of

1.0 million tonnes per year.


10

6 The Spinney Development - Detail 6.1 The proposed development would include the following main elements:

Extending the quarry into the Spinney.

Revised direction of quarry working from south to north.

Revised ramping proposals for the quarry.

Development into the Spinney whilst continuing to quarry within the main area.

Extraction of 9 million tonnes of limestone from the Spinney.

Extended end date for the quarry operations to 2042 (currently 2023).

Accommodating all surplus conglomerate material within the site.

Potential inclusion of on-site balancing / groundwater compensation lake for

managing water.

Bridleway diversion and the provision of an alternative route.

Landscaping proposals relating to views from Tyntesfield Estate.

Restoration proposals with more emphasis on biodiversity habitats and less

emphasis on tree planting.

6.2 The development of the Spinney is shown on the accompanying Stancombe/Spinney

Working Areas plan reference S109/572.

6.3 The extraction of stone within the Spinney would use the same techniques and

equipment as currently employed at the quarry, this involves drilling and blasting

limestone in benches 15 metres deep and transporting blasted stone by dump truck to

the existing fixed processing plant where it is crushed and screened into a variety of

aggregate sizes.

6.4 It is proposed to develop the Spinney generally from the south in a northerly direction.

The existing quarry is developed from north to south however as the limestone strata

dip to the north there are geotechnical stability issues when working the quarry faces

in this direction.

6.5 The Spinney would be developed in three broad areas as shown on the plan. The first

area would involve extracting one bench of stone along the eastern boundary of the

Spinney, initially in a southerly direction, until the southern extremity of the Spinney

was reached. From the southern boundary extraction would then progress in a

northerly direction from Area 1 into Areas 2 and 3 as shown on the plan and link into


11

the existing quarry. Lower quarry benches would be developed in each area as the

depth of limestone increased.

6.6 The depth of limestone in the Spinney is relatively shallow and increases from south to

north. A maximum of four benches would be extracted in Area 3. The limestone within

the existing quarry is much deeper and would require at least 11 benches to reach the

base of the quarry. The shallower limestone allows the base of extraction to be

reached quickly and once an area has been worked out it can then be used for infilling

with conglomerate.

6.7 The increased overall quarry area would also allow greater flexibility when addressing

the potential future requirement for water balancing and solutions for dewatering the

final quarry benches.

6.8 Extraction from the Spinney would constitute 50% of the overall production from the

site (approximately 500,000 tonnes per year) with the remainder coming from the

existing quarry area (Area 4). By splitting production a number of working faces can be

maintained and would represent best quarry practice.

6.9 By undertaking half the extraction in the Spinney the access ramps within the existing

quarry could be reconfigured into final positions to allow improved access around the

quarry.

6.10 The existing bridleway which crosses the southern boundary of the existing quarry

(northern boundary of the Spinney) would be diverted around the eastern boundary

of the Spinney.

6.11 The details of the diversion are shown on the Stancombe/Spinney Working Areas

plan with the bridleway between points A and D being replaced with a route via A, B, C

and D, although a new bridleway would only need to be constructed between C and D

(the route between A and B is an existing bridleway and the route between B and C

would be along Long Lane).

6.12 Soils and overburden materials removed from above the limestone would be used to

create a landscaped bank alongside Backwell Hill Road, as an extension of the existing

boundary bank, approximately 6 metres in height, to provide screening to adjacent

residential properties and users of the road and bridleway. The bank would be sown

with grass and planted with trees. A smaller bank, approximately 3 metre high, would

be constructed along the southern boundary adjacent to Long Lane and sown with

grass.

6.13 The full extent of the quarry workings is shown on the accompanying

Stancombe/Spinney Final Quarry Face Development plan reference S109/571.


12

6.14 The proposed restoration of the Spinney would continue the theme of nature

conservation established in the Stancombe restoration proposals. There would be an

increased emphasis on creating biodiversity habitats with a reduction in the extent of

tree planting. By tipping conglomerate in the shallow areas of extraction in the south a

large part of the Spinney could be restored to calcareous grassland. The proposed

restoration is shown on the accompanying Restoration Concept plan reference

S109/573.

6.15 A variety of habitats would be created including calcareous grassland, mixed

broadleaved woodland and scree slopes.

6.16 The restoration would be designed to provide a number of local and national

biodiversity action plan target habitats. The restoration would complement the

adjacent wooded slopes of Bourton Combe.


13

7 Defining the Scope of the Environmental Impact Assessment 7.1 Defining the scope of an EIA is a fundamental part of the development process. A

range of environmental issues have been identified for detailed assessment based

upon a thorough knowledge and understanding of the site and of the development

proposals. The environmental issues are set out below and are also summarised in

Table 1.

7.2 As well as considering environmental issues the ES will also describe the proposed

development, consider alternatives and examine the proposals in the context of the

development plan.

Geology

7.3 Stancombe quarry extracts Clifton Down Limestone and Goblin Coombe Oolite

(limestone). Both these limestones are used for high quality construction aggregates

and are present in the Spinney extension. Overlying part of the quarry and part of the

Spinney is low grade Dolomitic Conglomerate material which is sold as a fill material or

tipped within the site.

7.4 The limestone strata dip to the north and there are stability issues when extracting in

a southerly direction.

7.5 Stancombe Quarry is designated as a Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS).

Proposal

7.6 The quarry design would need to address the removal of conglomerate to avoid

sterilisation and ensure the most efficient extraction of limestone. In addition there

would need to be a geotechnical assessment to ensure that the working faces were

stable and fully complied with the requirements of current health and safety

legislation.

7.7 The impact of the development on the RIGS would also need to be considered.

Soils and Agriculture

7.8 The Spinney contains 11 hectares of agricultural land and is used primarily for grazing

cattle. The land forms part of the farm holding of Hyatts Wood Farm.

7.9 The land would be taken out of agricultural use whilst quarrying was carried out. Some

of the land would be restored as calcareous grassland with a greater level of nature

conservation interest. Grazing would be possible following restoration.

7.10 The soils would be removed to allow extraction to be carried out. The soils and any

overburden material lying above the limestone would be used to create landscaped

screen banks along the western and southern boundaries and for subsequent

restoration of the site. There is potential to damage or lose soils.


14

Proposal

7.11 An assessment would be carried out to determine the land quality together with the

quality and quantity of soils present. The impact on the farm business of losing the

grazing land would also be considered.

7.12 The quarry design and restoration proposals would need to address the removal,

storage and reuse of soils to ensure there was no unnecessary impact on the soil

resources.

Archaeology and Cultural Heritage

7.13 There is the potential for archaeological remains to exist within the undisturbed

agricultural land in the Spinney. Any archaeological features would be destroyed

during the quarrying process.

7.14 There are conservation areas within 1 km of the site at Farleigh to the north and

Backwell (Church Town) to the west. In addition Barrow Court is a registered historic

park and garden site 1 km to the west and Backwell House is an unregistered site 0.5

km to the north.

7.15 There is a Scheduled Ancient Monument within 1 km of the site, namely a churchyard

cross in St Andrews Churchyard in Backwell.

7.16 There are distant views of the existing quarry and of the Spinney from the National

Trust’s Tyntesfield Estate to the north.

Proposal

7.17 An assessment would be carried out to determine the presence and potential direct

impact on archaeological features within the site and the indirect impact on the

setting of recognised features beyond the site.

Landscape and Visual Impact

7.18 The quarry and extension area lies within the Bristol and Bath Green Belt which covers

an extensive area of amounting to the eastern most third of North Somerset.

7.19 The Community Forest of Avon designation which covers the majority of North

Somerset also covers the site.

7.20 There are no other landscape designations which affect the site.

7.21 There are several residential properties to the immediate west of the Spinney as well

as isolated properties some 0.5 km distant at Hyatts Wood Farm and Water Catch

Farm to the south and east respectively.

7.22 The C class public highway from Backwell to Lulsgate Bottom (Backwell Hill Road) is

located along the western boundary of the Spinney together with a bridleway. A


15

public footpath between Backwell Hill Road and Bourton Combe is located along the

southern boundary of the Spinney between the existing quarry and the Spinney.

7.23 The existing quarry is well screened from close viewpoints by the existing landform,

screen banks and adjacent woodland. The Spinney is partly screened by landform and

woodland. A continuation of the existing screen bank along Backwell Hill Road would

further reduce views into the Spinney.

7.24 There are more distant views of the existing quarry and of the Spinney from the north

at Wraxall and Tyntesfield including views from the National Trust’s Tyntesfield Estate.

7.25 The extension proposals have the potential to impact upon the landscape of the area

and cause visual intrusion at particular viewpoints.

Proposal

7.26 A detailed landscape and visual impact assessment would be carried out to determine

the level of impact from the development on the landscape and on viewpoints from

properties and rights of way.

Ecology

7.27 The quarry and extension area are not located within any ecological designations nor

do any statutory ecological designations lie within 1km of the site.

7.28 There are a number of woodland sites in the immediate area which have non-

statutory designations (Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI)) such as

Bourton Combe to the east, Cheston Combe and Backwell Hill to the west and Hyatts

Wood to the south. These woodlands are also identified in the National Inventory of

Woodland and Trees and some parts are ancient or semi natural woodland.

7.29 The quarry lies within an extensive area identified as suitable habitat for Greater

Horseshoe Bats as part of the North Somerset and Mendip bat habitat area.

7.30 Quarry development would destroy any habitat within the agricultural land and part

of the woodland along the southern Spinney boundary (not part of the SNCI or

National Inventory). It could also disturb adjacent habitat.

7.31 The restoration proposals for the site would provide new habitats and would create a

benefit in nature conservation terms.

Proposal

7.32 An extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey would be carried out to provide initial baseline

data. Further species surveys would be undertaken as appropriate and these are likely

to include assessments of bats and badgers.


16

Water Regime

7.33 The quarry and extension area are not located within the floodplain or within areas at

risk of flooding. Both areas however are within a major aquifer which is classed by the

Environment Agency as highly vulnerable and they also lie within a groundwater

protection zone (outer zone).

7.34 As a consequence of disturbing the land surface and extracting limestone the

development has the potential to impact on both surface and groundwater flows in

terms of quantity and quality. Local water abstractions could be affected and pollution

from the operations is also possible.

7.35 Extraction of the lowest two benches within the existing quarry would require

dewatering by lowering the water table and discharging water off site.

Proposal

7.36 A detailed assessment of the existing water regime in and around the site would be

undertaken to determine the level of impact from the development. The implications

of dewatering including the requirements for water storage and discharge would be

fully examined.

Blasting Vibration

7.37 The extraction of stone involves blasting with explosives to break stone from the

quarry face. Blasting creates vibration which can cause disturbance and damage to

property if not controlled.

7.38 The closest vibration sensitive properties to the proposed extraction within the

Spinney are the houses to the west of Backwell Hill Road.

Proposal

7.39 An assessment of vibration levels would be carried out at adjacent properties to

determine the potential for disturbance or damage.

Noise

7.40 The extension area would be developed using the same conventional working

methods as are currently employed within the existing quarry. Noise would be

generated from soil and overburden removal, drilling and blasting and the transport of

stone to the processing plant.

7.41 There are a number of residential properties to the immediate west of the extension

area as well as more distant properties to the south and east. Rights of way in the

vicinity of the extension include bridleways and footpaths. There are also a number of

ecological habitats in the area.

7.42 Noise from the development could potentially affect all of these receptors.


17

Proposal

7.43 A full assessment of the existing noise climate would be carried out to determine the

baseline conditions. Sophisticated modelling of the noise levels to be created during

all aspects of the development would be undertaken to identify potential impacts.

Air Quality

7.44 Similar comments can be made for air quality as have been made for noise above. The

same conventional working methods would be used as are currently employed within

the existing quarry. Dust would be generated from soil and overburden removal,

drilling and blasting and the transport of stone to the processing plant. Air emissions

from vehicle engines would also occur.

7.45 There are a number of sensitive receptors in the area, primarily residential properties

but also rights of way and ecological habitats.

7.46 Dust and air emissions created from the development could potentially affect all of

these receptors.

Proposal

7.47 A full assessment of the existing air quality would be carried out to determine baseline

conditions. Modelling of dust generation and air emissions during all aspects of the

development would be carried out to identify the potential impacts.

Highways and Public Rights of Way

7.48 Stone extracted from the Spinney would be processed within the existing processing

plant in the quarry and despatched via the existing access onto the A370. There are no

proposals to alter the access or increase output above approved levels.

7.49 Bridleways and footpaths exist in the immediate vicinity of the extension area. The

footpath between Backwell Hill Road and Bourton Combe would need to be diverted

around the extension area to allow the quarry to progress in a southerly direction. The

development would impact on some of the existing rights of way.

Proposal

7.50 It is not proposed to assess the highway impact of vehicles using the A370 as this has

previously been considered and improvements carried out at the A370 junction. An

assessment would be undertaken of the impacts on the rights of way in the vicinity of

the extension area.


18

Table 1 Scoping Schedule for Environmental Statement

Topic Potential Impact Comments Geology Stability of quarry workings

and restoration. Maximising stone extraction.

A geotechnical assessment would advise on the safest method of working and the overall quarry development. The quarry design would seek to recover the optimum amount of limestone.

Soils and Agriculture

Loss of agricultural land. Loss or damage to soil resource. Effect on farming unit.

The land quality and soil resources would be determined. Proposals for removal, storage and reuse of soils would be assessed. Farm business would be considered.

Archaeology and Cultural Heritage

Loss or damage to buried archaeology. Impact on historic buildings and settings.

A full desk study would be carried out to determine the archaeological value of the extension area. Historic and listed buildings would be considered. Further phases of assessment would be carried out as appropriate.

Landscape and Visual Impact

Disturbance to landscape character and quality. Disturbance to visual amenity.

A landscape study would assess the significance of impacts on the landscape. Viewpoint analysis would determine the level of impacts from individual locations.

Ecology Loss or damage to habitat. Loss or damage to species. Benefits of restoration.

An extended phase 1 survey of the site and adjacent area would be undertaken to identify habitats and species that required further study.

Water Regime Disturbance to surface and groundwater quality and quantity. Change to flood regime. Benefits of restoration.

The existing water regime would be assessed together with potential impacts arising from the development.

Blasting Vibration

Disturbance to local amenity. Damage to property.

Assessment of blasting vibration levels at adjacent properties would be undertaken. Consideration would be given to the impact on amenity.

Noise Disturbance to local residents. Effect on amenity. Effect on ecology.

Survey would determine existing noise levels and predicted noise levels from the development at the closest noise sensitive receptors.

Air Quality Disturbance to local residents. Effect on amenity. Effect on ecology.

Assessment would establish existing air quality and predicted emission levels at the closest sensitive receptors.

Highways and Public Rights of Way

Impact on local road network. Impact on public rights of way.

The highways implications of vehicles using the A370 have previously been determined. Impacts on footpaths and bridleways would be assessed.


19

8 Conclusion 8.1 This document is a Scoping Request relating to the proposed extension of Stancombe

Quarry into the Spinney. The document sets out the background to the site, identifies

the detail of the proposals and considers the extent of the EIA required to accompany

the planning application.

8.2 The formal opinion of North Somerset Council is sought on the scope of the

assessment to be carried out within the EIA to accompany the planning application.

8.3 In accordance with Regulation 13 of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental

Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 North Somerset Council are requested to

provide a Scoping Opinion on the contents of an Environmental Statement to

accompany the planning application to extend Stancombe Quarry into the Spinney.


20

Plans

Location Plan

Site Summary Plan

Aerial photograph

Stancombe/Spinney Working Areas

Stancombe/Spinney Final Quarry Face Development

Concept Restoration

stancombe quarry, flax bourton, bristol, bs48 3qd. · 3.8 the extraction of stone within the...

Documents