Quarryplan's tailored approach suits Draperstown
Creagh Concrete Products Ltd - Brackagh, Ballybriest, Draperstown
In November 2009, Quarryplan submitted a planning application, which was accompanied by an Environmental Statement (ES), for a 9.5 hectare northerly extension to the existing sand and gravel quarry at Brackagh. The quarry and extension site are located within the Sperrins Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Area of Constraint on Mineral Developments (ACMD) as proposed in the draft Magherafelt Area Plan 2015.
In February 2010, three months after the application and ES were submitted, Quarryplan Ltd were informed, through discussions with Planning Service, that the consultation process was concluded and none of the authorities consulted on the application and ES had any objections to the proposed development. It is understood that Planning Service’s Minerals Unit had recommended the application for approval in early March 2010. However, due to circumstances outside of the Unit’s control, namely an internal audit review on all mineral planning applications, the application was not presented to the Magherafelt District Council until June 2010.
It is understood from published information and discussions with the Planning Service that the Council has recently agreed with Planning Service’s recommendation to approve the proposed extension and the decision is imminent.
With this 2010 approval imminent; taking into account the previous planning approval for sand and gravel extraction on 10 hectares of land at Brackagh in 2006, Quarryplan has successfully managed to secure sand and gravel reserves for Creagh Concrete providing continuation of supply, for more than a decade in this sensitive location.
It is considered that the application and the ES negotiated the planning system in a timely manner as a result of Quarryplan’s pre-application efforts and its established professional working relationships with staff within the Planning Service, Northern Ireland Environment Agency as well as other key government authorities. Quarryplan have built up these important relationships, trading exclusively in the field of mineral development, over the past 10 years.
Northstone (NI) Ltd – Ballybriest, Cookstown
Similar to the Creagh application, Quarryplan has been successful in achieving a timely recommendation for approval for a sand and gravel development proposal for a site in the Ballybriest area of Cookstown. The application to merge sand and gravel operations was submitted by Quarryplan and validated by Planning Service in October 2009. In early June 2010, Quarryplan learned through discussions with Planning Service that this application is to be recommended for approval.
This application, submitted on behalf of Northstone (NI) Ltd, proposed the merger of two large sand and gravel deposits. The sites approved in 1983 and 2004, are being consolidated in line with the Quarryplan submission. The development site, some 37 hectares in size, is located within the Sperrin AONB. Pre application discussions with Planning Service promoted the benefits of the merged development and helped ensure the advantages and planning gains of the proposal were appreciated by key government authorities.
The first step of this development was to produce combined quarry designs to supersede the dated consents, particularly the 1983 permission, in order to bring the site under compliance of the Quarries Regulations and HSENI Geotechnical requirements. Through this process and following discussions with Planning Service, Quarryplan were able to provide information in relation to untapped reserve potential located within both of the approved sites. In particular, increased reserves have been released by removing a standoff through the common boundaries between the adjoining sites.
With the proposed removal of the common boundaries between the sites, a holistic restoration concept plan has been produced incorporating the two sites. It is considered that this plan will help deliver ecological benefits by proposing to introduce, for the first time at both sites, a phased approach to restoration, ensure protection of habitats and achieve acceptable overall restoration.
It is considered that the timely recommendations on both of these planning applications have been achieved by Quarryplan through established working relationship with Mineral Planners in the Northern Ireland Planning Service and key government authorities. These pre application discussions provided by Planning Service Minerals Unit and NIEA have also been recognised by our Clients as a profound benefit.
“The work undertaken in the Magherafelt and Cookstown area for both these premium Companies has seen Quarryplan deliver and safeguard in the region of 10 million tonnes of sand and gravel reserves, in this highly designated and controlled location, thus maximising our Clients resource value”
“We are particularly pleased with the timely manner in which these applications have passed through the system which we consider confirms that the detailed pre-application consultation approach we adopt can reap its rewards in shortening determination periods” says Andrew Scurfield, Quarryplan Director.