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The site represents the existing quarry at Turkeyland along with a piece of un-quarried land which extends approximately 10m to the south east of the edge of the existing quarry and 40m to the north east. Also within the ownership of the applicant and defined in blue on the application plans is Old Turkeyland - a filled quarry to the north west which is now used for block manufacture and has been the subject of recent applications for alternative use (see below).
Access to the quarry is via Balthane Road which runs from the A5 Douglas Road through Balthane Industrial estate towards the airport but heading north east to the two quarries.
Part of the site is designated on the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982 as Area for Surface Mineral Working. This is a small part of the operational site and does not reflect what has been granted approval for quarrying or restoration in the past. The remainder of the site is within a wider area of an Area of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance. A coastal footpath (Raad ny Foillan) runs to the east of the site, between the quarry edge and the cliff edge. The land slopes up by around 10m above the level of the coastline/beach at the edge of the proposed extent of the quarry.
Planning permission was granted for the restoration of the quarry under PA 04/1434. Only one specific condition was attached, requiring that the northwest corner of the site must be re-graded to a smooth profile and sown with a grass mix suitable to calcareous down prior to the commencement of works.
Permission has been sought for the amendment of this permission to allow the storage of incinerator bottom ash (IBA) from the Energy From Waste Facility as part of the infilling (PA 07/1612). This application, along with a contemporaneous proposal for processing the IBA at Old Turkeyland (PA 07/1611) are to be considered by the Council of Ministers after an inquiry before an independent inspector.
Proposed here is an extension of the quarry to provide stone for the construction of the extension of the runway, permitted under PA 06/1572. This involves two extensions of the runway to provide the required safety zones (RESAs) including an extension out into the sea of a new promontory. The proposal will extract around 270,000 tonnes of rock over a period of 8 months. The rock will be transported to the runway extension depository via the existing access route and proposed and approved haulage route for the RESA traffic.
Prior to excavation works commencing, a 2m high earth bund will be constructed around the periphery of the extended area and the existing bund will be re-graded to improve the appearance of the quarry from this direction.
The works will commence with the stripping of soil to rockhead using an excavator and trucks, the drift being put in the quarry floor with a one in two slope. A box cut will then be driven eastwards along the southern limit of the excavation from the existing ramp at 7m AOD to create a new ramped access and a floor opened up at 8m AOD. Blasting will then take place with mobile crushing of excavated material on the quarry floor. Material will be taken from the south western corner of the quarry to surface level. Access to the RESA site involves a short crossing of the public footpath which runs from the Raad ny Foillan to the Balthane Road but this will already happen with the haulage route for the creation of the seaward RESA. Access will generally be maintained along this footpath but with temporary gating during operations.
Phase 2 of the operations involves development of the extension's floor level to 2m Below Ordnance Datum and a box cut driven eastwards, opening up a ramp to the final floor level and then heading northwards to meet the existing edge of the quarry. Once completed, the extension will be filled in accordance with the restoration proposals for the remainder of the quarry and the finished product would be a restored field.
Blasting will be undertaken between 7am and 10pm Monday to Friday and other works could be undertaken on a 24 hour basis in accordance with the demand and the need to undertake some of the construction works at night to maintain operation of the runway during the day.
The visual impact of the extensions is described as "negligible-slight" in landscape terms with the existing visual impact being considered as slight to moderate as viewed from a small number of
residential properties in the vicinity, the air from approaching aircraft and from the coastal footpath. The impact of the ongoing works associated with the RESA extension and thereafter once the extension is completed, is also relevant in establishing the context of the appearance of the quarry extension and the added time taken to restore the site.
The closest residential property is Ballawoods, to the north east of the site and is 750m away. As such no specific mitigation is proposed in terms of noise, dust or visual impact as this is not considered necessary.
Manx National Heritage indicate that prior discussion with them has been held and that the proposal addresses the archaeological assessment which they would require and recommend that if permission is forthcoming for this proposal that a condition be imposed to require the archaeological mitigation as set out in the proposal.
The Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and Environment support the application.
Malew Parish Commissioners indicate that they have no objection to the application.
Strategic Plan Minerals Policy 1 states that:
"Development involving the winning and working of minerals will be permitted only where it is demonstrated that there is a need for the minerals which cannot be met through the provision of secondary aggregates. Applicants will be required to demonstrate also that:
a) there would be no unacceptable adverse effect on local residents in terms of visual amenity, dust, noise, or vibration as a result of the on site operation itself (including development, maintenance and restoration) or the traffic generated thereby; b) there would be no unacceptable adverse effect on: i) landscapes and geology/geomorphology features of special interest or attraction; ii) Ancient Monuments or their setting; iii) Registered Buildings or their settings; iv) the character and appearance of Conservation Areas; v) sites of archaeological interest; vi) sites containing species or habitats of international, national and local importance; vii) land drainage and water resources; and viii) designated National Heritage Areas; c) the proposal is acceptable in terms of access arrangements and highway safety; d) working will be in accordance with a phased scheme of restoration and landscaping; and that e) the proposal does not sterilize [sic] other significant mineral deposits.
Exceptionally, national need for a particular mineral may warrant setting aside one of more of these constraints".
The principle of using locally sourced stone rather than importing it is clearly sensible and more sustainable and there are no sources of appropriate stone closer to the runway extension site than this. Material will have to be taken approximately 500m using a route already approved as a haul route for heavy vehicles involved in the runway extension and operations will also be synchronised with the works on the runway extension, thus reducing visual, aural and traffic impacts.
There will be a visual impact from extending the quarry further out, however, following discussion, the extension will not bring the quarry any further out towards the coast and the only impact on users of the footpath will effectively be a 240m length of quarry edge to the north west rather than 150m and that the restoration of the quarry will take longer as there will be more void to infill after quarrying has ceased.
There was no evidence when the existing quarry was worked, of particularly important archaeological features and the application contains a commitment to monitoring excavations to ensure that nothing of value is unearthed or damaged.
The works are, however, temporary, lasting approximately 8 months whilst works are ongoing at the airport. The proposal represents a sustainable proposal for the local working of mineral to supply a construction project in the immediate vicinity with no permanent adverse impacts or certainly none which are not outweighed by the benefits from not having to import material from elsewhere and is in compliance with Mineral Policy 1.
The Department of Transport and the local authority are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (c) and (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status.
The Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and Environment are not directly affected by this development and as such should not be afforded party status in this instance.
Manx National Heritage represent a statutory authority who raise material planning matters as concerns and as such should be afforded party status in this instance.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 31.12.2007
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
This permission relates to the extension of the quarry and subsequent restoration as shown and described in drawings 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2 and 8.1 and the Planning and Environmental Statement, all received on 26th October, 2007.
The proposed excavation works must cease no later than works have been completed on the construction of the airport runway extension promontory approved under PA 06/1572 or any subsequent modification thereto.
Once excavation is completed in accordance with condition 2 above, restoration must be undertaken, restoring the site to its former appearance in accordance with the permission granted under PA 04/1434 albeit extended into the area now approved for excavation.
In accordance with condition 3 above, prior to the commencement of any restoration, the northwest corner of the site must be re-graded to a smooth profile and sown with a grass mix suitable to calcareous down. Within three months of the commencement of excavation works hereby approved, the applicant must have approved by the Planning Authority a scheme for the restoration of the newly excavated area.
C 5.
The Manx Museum and National Trust must be informed of the date when building work is to commence and be given access at all reasonable times, and reasonable opportunity to inspect the site, observe all excavations and investigate any archaeological features exposed.
Decision Made : ... Committee Meeting Date : ...
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