Decision made on border quarry extension plan near Newport

An operator of a quarry near Newport has been given one of two planning permissions that it needs to increase the size and extend the life of its sand extraction operations.

Woodcote Quarry, at Woodcote, straddles the border of Telford & Wrekin Council’s and Shropshire Council’s areas and operator NRS Aggregates Limited has applied to both planning authorities to extend its life by 10 years to 2045.

Now Telford & Wrekin Council’s planning department has given the go-ahead for the completion of mineral extraction and to restore the site, which is accessed off the A41.

A decision from Shropshire Council, the lead authority, is awaited but Telford & Wrekin Council has set down 28 conditions to deal with dust, protection of water from pollution and other matters.

Telford planners wrote that the applicant has submitted a “robust environmental statement which provides in-depth assessments in respect of noise, vibration and air quality”.

“These assessments conclude that the proposal is unlikely to have a significantly detrimental impact upon the amenity of neighbouring properties.

“In respect of dust emissions, it is considered that a dust management plan and proposed lighting plan can be conditioned accordingly, in order to ensure that any dust and light generated from the proposed extension and wider site is kept to a minimum.”

The quarry has permission, pending the signing of a section 106 agreement, to extract 400,000 tonnes and to keep a percentage on site to help with the restoration.

The 5.1-hectare northern extension of the quarry would release 2.52 million tonnes of sand and gravel to be extracted. The extension area is located within the boundaries of Telford and Wrekin.

When restored it is envisaged to be a “species-rich grassland and native woodland with ephemeral waterbodies”. It would also need 3.5 million tonnes of ‘inert restoration material’ to be brought on to the site.

Telford planners wrote that there had been no objections received from any neighbouring residential properties.

NRS has operated the 18.6-hectare Woodcote Quarry since 2018. It had been a commercial and ornamental woodland belonging to the Apley Estate.

There are currently about 38 members of staff working at the site and the proposals would increase that number by four, the applicant’s agent told planners.

“The proposal would ensure the continued employment of staff beyond the currently permitted end date of 2033, for mineral extraction,” the agents Heatons wrote.

“The progressive restoration of the quarry would commence from the initial stages of mineral extraction and would continue for approximately 20 years, three years beyond the proposed timescales for mineral extraction.”