2 January 2024 · Council of Ministers (following call-in, based on Planning Inspector's recommendations plus three additional conditions)
Wrights Pit North Landfill Off, Cranstal Road, Bride, Isle Of Man, IM7 4bs
Wright's Pit North is an existing 4.15 hectare landfill site at the Point of Ayre, used since 1996 for inert and construction & demolition waste on a 'dilute and disperse' basis, with significant remaining void space due to lower-than-expected usage rates.
Click a button above to find applications similar to this one.
See how this application compares to similar ones — policies, conditions, and outcomes side by side.
There is an evidenced ongoing need for the landfill facility at Wright's Pit North that cannot be met elsewhere on-Island at the present time, as confirmed by the 2018 Waste Strategy requiring strateg…
Waste Policy 1
Permits landfill sites where there is acknowledged need per Waste Management Strategy, no unacceptable adverse impacts on amenity, environment, highways, ecology, or bird strike risk, with phased restoration. Officer assessed proposal meets all tests: need evidenced by 2018 Waste Strategy, EIA shows negligible residual impacts with mitigation, low traffic acceptable, restoration per prior approval with updates.
General Policy 2
General development control considerations including local amenity. Site history and low impacts (dust, noise, traffic) via EIA and consultees found acceptable in remote location.
General Policy 3
Restricts countryside development except overriding national need with no alternative. Landfill extension justified as strategic waste need with no alternative site ready.
Strategic Policy 1
Promotes reusing scarce indigenous materials. Tension noted with potential virgin aggregates for restoration; conditions require prior approval of imported materials and review to prioritise recovery/waste-derived fill.
Strategic Policy 4
Protects land quality, nature conservation, prevents pollution. EIA confirms no unacceptable impacts with monitoring; conditions enhance groundwater and leachate oversight.
Environment Policy 1
Protects countryside and ecology. Remote site with prior use; no significant landscape or ecological harm per EIA.
Annual waste tonnage limit
No more than 5,000 tonnes of waste shall be tipped at the site in any calendar year.
Waste types restriction
Subject to the provisions of other conditions, no waste streams other than those defined at paragraph 2.4.3 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (prepared by Anthony D Bates Partnership dated December 2021) shall be deposited at the site. No household waste... or incinerator bottom ash shall be deposited on the site.
Highway protection
No water, mud or contaminants shall drain, flow or be transferred by vehicle wheels on to the highway.
Boundary fencing
The boundary fences around the site shall be retained unless otherwise required by condition 8 below.
Delivery hours
No deliveries shall be made to the site other than between the hours of 09.30 and 15.30 Monday to Friday.
Protected species halt
If at any time, frogs, lizards or nesting birds are found on the site... operations shall cease until the Department has been notified in writing and advice has been provided.
Cessation of waste import
Importation of waste to the site shall cease on or before 31 December 2030... The date of cessation shall be confirmed in writing to, and agreed in writing by, the Department...
Restoration scheme
Within 12 months from the date of cessation... or 31 December 2031, whichever is the sooner, the site shall be restored and landscaped in accordance with: a) ...Plan Nos WPN 3/2... b) ...Appendix B of the Environmental Impact Assessment... c) details... of the potential for rabbit ingress...
Site clearance
All equipment, plant, buildings and fencing... shall have been removed from the site, within 12 months of the confirmed date of cessation... or 31 December 2031, whichever is the sooner.
Restoration materials approval
Should suitable sandy substrate... not be available... full details of alternative imported material are to be submitted to and agreed in writing by the Department prior to importation.
Traffic and Dust Management Plans
Prior to the commencement of restoration activities... details of Management Plans for Traffic and Dust... shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department.
Groundwater Monitoring Plan
The waste disposal operations hereby permitted shall cease within 30 days of the date of failure to meet any one of the requirements set out at points i) and ii) below: i) within three months... a Groundwater Monitoring Plan... ii) the approved scheme shall have been carried out...
Public Health Act approval
An appropriate approval under the Public Health Act 1990 shall be issued by DEFA... by 31 October.
Updated Working Plan
The DOI shall provide to DEFA an updated Working Plan... by Friday 20 October 2023.
Future variations to DEFA
Subject at all times to section 11 of the TCPA 1999... any application to vary the approval hereby granted... shall be made to DEFA in the first instance.
No objection subject to Construction Traffic Management Plan for restoration phase
Do not oppose
No objection; no variation to existing Waste Disposal Licence required
Support due to negative impact of early closure on construction industry
DEFA Environmental Protection has no objection to the time extension for PA21/01000/B as it requires no Waste Disposal Licence variation. Highways DC, Flood Risk Management, and Manx National Heritage offer conditional no objection or limited support, while DEFA Biodiversity requ…
Key concern: Future prohibition of non-hazardous waste deposits due to upcoming UK environmental protection standards and Landfill Directive requirements for engineered containment
DEFA, Environmental Protection
No ObjectionApproval of this application will not require any variation to the existing Waste Disposal Licence... we have no objection.; introduction of environmental protection standards for landfill consistent with the UK will prohibit such deposits.
Department of Infrastructure Highways Development Control
Conditional No ObjectionHighways DC raises no opposition subject to a condition / agreement for approval of details for a CTMP.; The response made by HDC on 24 January 2022 continues to apply.
Conditions requested: Approval of details for a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP)
Manx National Heritage
Conditional No ObjectionWe feel that we are only able to support the continuation of WPN landfill until 31st December 2022 at or below the current waste stream... 5,000 tonnes per annum.; Ideally we would like to see landfilling operations cease with immediate effect and site restoration undertaken in accordance with the scheme previously approved under PA12/01671/B.
Conditions requested: Need for locally derived sand and gravels to be used in restoration
DEFA Biodiversity
Conditional No ObjectionOnce landfill activities end, a comprehensive review of the restoration and management requirements of WPN as a whole should be undertaken.; The Manx Birdlife Bird Survey... found that common gull (amber listed), herring gull (red listed) and oystercatcher (red listed) were definitely or probably breeding in the wrights pit north area.
Conditions requested: Review of the WPN restoration and management plan to be undertaken and submitted to Planning for written approval; If at any time, frogs or lizards are found on the site, or breeding birds are found or suspected to be present on site, work should stop and DEFA shall be notified and given time to advise.; Should the borehole monitoring data show evidence of high leachate contamination... the landfilling operation will need to be reviewed as additional environmental protection and remedial measures may be required.
Department of Infrastructure Flood Risk Management Division
No ObjectionDNO
Bride Parish Commissioners
No CommentThe Commissioners felt that a 9 year extension was excessive.; It has been suggested that a 5 year review be made on the site.
Conditions requested: A 5 year review be made on the site
The original application sought to extend time-limited landfill operations at an existing dilute-and-disperse facility, but prior permission had expired, making operations unauthorised since 2019. Key appeal arguments from DoI emphasised ongoing need for strategic C&D waste disposal capacity, supported by EIA evidence of void space lasting 1-5 years and no viable alternatives, with negligible environmental impacts post-mitigation. DEFA supported need but raised restoration and monitoring concerns; third parties like Manx National Heritage sought shorter extension. Inspector found strong need per Waste Strategy and Public Health Act, confirmed acceptable environmental impacts via EIA, and recommended approval to maximise use of existing void pending new engineered facility. Recommended conditions secure restoration within 1 year of cessation, waste limits, monitoring, and mitigation plans.
Precedent Value
Demonstrates approval possible for time-limited extensions of essential waste infrastructure where need evidenced, impacts negligible post-conditions, and ties to replacement facilities; future applicants should prioritise updated technical evidence, EIA, and pre-agreed conditions on restoration/monitoring.
Inspector: Mrs Jennifer Vyse DipTP, MRTPI, DipPBM
