Minerals and waste

text_and_image 51775

There is currently only one active site for sand and gravel extraction in the county at Wellington/Moreton on Lugg, but there are other small sites with continuing permissions at Shobdon and Upper Lyde and one site awaiting restoration at Lugg Bridge. There is also a lapsed permission at St Donats/Portway and various other historic sites around the county.

text_and_image 51776

Hard rock is also crushed for aggregate use. Two quarries are currently worked for crushed rock at Leinthall Earls and Perton. A large permission at Nash is currently mothballed.

text_and_image 51777

In the future, further survey work may identify workable deposits for aggregate, but at present supplies are in decline. The county's quarries contribute to its economic viability in terms of employment and output of construction materials.

 

 

 

Back to top

text_and_image 51778

Building stone

Herefordshire has a strong tradition of stone-built construction, for homes, castles, barns, churches, roads, bridges and hundreds of miles of stone walls. Stone roof tiles were historically a characteristic feature of many local buildings but the majority of these have been lost. For the maintenance and repair of surviving historic buildings and their roofs there is considerable demand for local building stone, for which suitable supplies are vital if Herefordshire's character is to be maintained. Likewise, incorporating local stone into new buildings can ensure high quality design to enable integration with existing buildings. Imported stone, even from other parts of the UK, has different qualities in terms of composition, durability, colour, texture and weathering capacity. Stone from hotter drier areas will not long withstand this county's climate.

Local quarries were mostly very small, and used by farmers either to construct their own buildings and roads or to supplement their agricultural income. In limestone areas lime burning was common, for the production of fertiliser, whitewash and lime putty cement. The county is peppered with the remains of both quarries and limekilns. Dimension stone, i.e. cut and shaped stone (or ashlar) for high quality facings to buildings such as churches and castles, has always been locally scarce; the majority of traditional quarrying has been for rubble walling and rough stone plus roof tiles. However, the working of even this stone is a fast-disappearing traditional craft now confined to a handful of quarrymen working mostly in the remote Olchon Valley in the far south-west of the county. Finding supplies of suitable stones is vital if Herefordshire's 'sense of place' is to be maintained.

Small stone quarries with planning permission are rare in England, but about 12 of these are in Herefordshire. Although policies are confined to political boundaries, geology is of course more widely distributed. Herefordshire stone is therefore important for buildings in other counties, for example the high quality deep red sandstone characteristic of the south of the county has been used for restoration at the parish church in Monmouth, sourced from Callow Quarry just within our area.

Because of their specialised nature and small-scale intermittent production, future sites for building stone quarries are not identified in the Unitary Development Plan, but policies encouraging their development, where environmentally suitable, are included. This support will be carried forward into the Local Development Framework.

Back to top

Brick clay

Clay pits and brick kilns were common all over Victorian Herefordshire and many surviving buildings contain local bricks. This industry entirely died out with the last works at Linton near Bromyard. Its demise was partly due to higher specifications required by mechanised brick production in the West Midlands and the increasingly poor quality of available clay and firing shale. However, reserves may still exist which new technology could utilise, as mineral resources become scarce and, as noted above, not all of the county has undergone a geological survey. Whilst there are no plans or policies specifically to promote this possibility, the policies to encourage small-scale building stone extraction equally apply to prospective winning and working of brick clay, should a viable supply be identified. Clay is locally abundant and can also be used for flood defences, lining pools and reservoirs, and other waterproof bunding or containment.

Back to top

Geological and heritage conservation

Although the earth is thousands of millions of years old, opportunities to study its history through rocks, minerals and landforms can be short-lived due to development pressures and changes in land use. The protection of geological features is now a matter of international concern. In 1993 an international task force for Earth Heritage Conservation was established and the concept is now widely accepted and is endorsed in government policy.

In Britain the best, nationally important geological sites are designated SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) by English Nature. Other sites exist which may not be nationally important but are still regionally significant. These are designated RIGS (regionally important geological and geomorphological sites). Many of them originate in old quarries where the geology is exposed. The significant contributions of quarrying to the fossil record and scientific study in the fields of palaeontology and archaeology are universally recognised. Some of the finest fossils and archaeological evidence of early and recent human activities are discovered at quarry sites. Herefordshire is a relatively untapped resource in this regard, although significant discoveries have been made particularly at Wellington gravel quarry. Recognition of this potential is needed if important evidence is not to be lost. At Linton Tileworks, the last local clay pit noted above, Beaconites burrows were discovered - evidence of the very earliest life forms to have left the oceans; however the site has been lost and built over.

There is also potential for small local projects to promote geological importance and improve knowledge through education at suitable former quarry sites. Whitman's Hill Quarry near Cradley is a good example. The Earth Heritage Trust has facilitated a 'Champions' project whereby local landowners with important geology on their property are supported as custodians in maintaining sites, sharing information, and allowing interested professionals and groups access to nominated sites for study. Information, walking leaflets, study days, conservation surveys and other works form part of this initiative.

For information on the local RIGS group and the Champions project, contact Moira Jenkins or Peter Oliver at Earth Heritage Trust, (01905) 855184 or e-mail to RIGS@Worc.ac.uk

Back to top

Landscape factors

In addition to its contribution to geological study, cultural heritage and knowledge, quarrying has shaped our predominantly man-made landscapes for thousands of years, even in the most apparently wild places. Some of our most attractive and spectacular scenery has quarrying origins: in Herefordshire the Wye Valley, Symonds Yat, the Doward, Malvern Hills, Aymestrey area, and the Golden and Olchon valleys are key examples. Further afield the lower Wye, Forest of Dean, Clifton gorge at Bristol, Dartmoor, Exmoor and the Plym and Tamar Valleys in Devon are major attractions dominated by former mineral extraction. There is a rich cultural heritage in the quarries and mines themselves, methods of stone-working and in buildings made from the extracted stone. Quarrying also creates unique wildlife habitats supporting rare and threatened species of many types. Although quarrying can be perceived negatively in its active phase, the long-term potential for landscapes and habitats should be borne in mind.  Policies need to take account of this longer wider view in order to safeguard future environments.

Back to top

Restoration and after-use of sites

The council must ensure that mineral working sites are restored to a 'beneficial' after-use on completion. The scale of which mean that the landscape can sometimes be significantly and permanently modified. However, perceptions of what is beneficial (and for whom) may vary. The potential for quarry sites to support biodiversity where other havens for wildlife are scarce should not be overlooked. There is pressure for minerals areas to be released for human recreation and other development, but a balance needs to be struck to ensure that biodiversity can be supported and contribute to Herefordshire's ecology in the interests of our own survival. Current policies prioritise nature conservation, followed by agriculture (food production), then recreation. Other development and/or total infilling fall way behind and should be a last resort.

At present for example:

The Gravel Pit at Stretton Sugwas has been restored to a mixture of farmland, parkland with trees and a large lake. The site already hosts such a wide variety of birds, plants and insect life, some nationally rare species, that it may be of SSSI standard. The potential for some kind of future recreation or nature conservation use, as yet unspecified is therefore considerable.

Bodenham Lakes are the product of previous gravel extraction and have been restored to recreational (boating) use and nature conservation. Wellington Quarry is being progressively restored to a combination of arable farmland, a potential sailing lake of about 13 hectares (ha), a nature conservation lake approx. 4 ha in extent, and two fishing lakes approx. 2.5 and 3.5 ha in extent.  Areas of naturally re-generated wet woodland will also be created and provision of a bird reserve  and areas for archaeological protection have also been proposed.

The Gravel Pit at Shobdon will eventually create a large lake for possible recreation and a small lake for nature conservation.

Hard rock quarries are more difficult to reclaim but Perton is to be restored principally as a geological SSSI, with appropriate landscaping. Adjoining old quarries at Dormington, currently used for infilling with waste stone and overburden from Perton, will also be restored to forestry as part of the development.

Experimental planting is currently being undertaken along the limestone faces at Leinthall Earls quarry to decide how it can best be restored, but geological exposure will feature in the final scheme as the area is rich in fossils and supports a strong biodiversity in terms of lime-loving plants, veteran trees, many species of bat and other rare species such as Peregrine falcon and Silver-washed fritillary butterflies.

For small-scale building stone quarries, restoration should entail at least some preservation of exposed rock faces. Ideally they should be simply made safe and any excavated material remaining on site being used sympathetically to leave as natural-looking a landform as possible. Sites should then be left to natural regeneration. Small quarries should not be completely backfilled unless there is a justifiable need, for example as important to agriculture.

Back to top

Minerals legislation

Minerals are defined in S.336 of the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act as including:-

"minerals and substances in or under land of a kind ordinarily worked for removal underground or surface working, except that it does not include peat cut for purposes other than sale"

There are some 28 Acts of Parliament and Statutory Regulations which directly refer to mineral planning issues.

Back to top

Waste management

Waste planning and legislation in Herefordshire

The definition of 'waste' is problematic, and subject to national debate. For planning purposes it can be simply defined as any substance which is surplus to requirements and would otherwise need to be disposed of. Finding ways of reducing, re-using, recycling or safely and usefully treating such material often involves development, activities and processes which require planning permission. Most modern waste facilities are purpose-built and include 'waste transfer' - the collection, bulking up and onward transportation of particular waste types, to treatment centres. Plastics, metals, card and glass are examples of key market commodities. Packaging, vehicles, electrical goods and bottles are examples of item types which contribute to these 'waste streams'.

Proposals for development to deal with waste commodities usually need planning permission, although in some cases an existing area of land or a building may already allow the treatment of waste, which is regarded as equivalent to any other B2 industrial development. As well the requirement for planning permission, recent years have seen a raft of EU Directives related to waste, which must be transcribed into UK legislation. The Waste Incineration Directive (WID), the Mining Waste Directive, the End of Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive are just a few examples. Compliance with these Directives is essential, to prevent pollution and ensure safety.

All waste facilities are consequently subject to additional controls apart from planning through the EU Directives and UK Environmental Protection legislation. These are administered by the Environment Agency and/or the council's Environmental Health department through licensing, consents and Environmental Permits, which cover all kinds of activities having potentially adverse environmental effects. In practice, planning applications subject to these additional controls only need to be considered in planning terms, and assessed as to whether they are capable of compliance. Actual regulation of such sites falls outside of the remit of planning services, although effects such as visual impact, ecological harm, pollution risks, air and water quality, noise and odour are material considerations requiring mitigation at the planning stage. The council works closely with the Environment Agency to ensure high standards of management and control.

Whilst the waste industry is subject to these stringent controls, planning applications for waste management proposals can be contentious and unpopular with neighbours. The need to deal with waste or surplus materials is clear, and requires sensitive handling with rigorous attention to detail by planning departments. Policies need to both support the need for waste facilities and protect the amenity of residents and the natural environment. Policies also need compatibility with the national Waste Strategy as it is updated and which is partly driven by EU changes and the requirements noted above. As waste generally is a strategic matter, cross-border considerations must also be taken account of.

Back to top

Municipal waste

The collection, treatment and disposal of this county's municipal waste (i.e. waste generated by households and the council itself) is currently let under a long-term contract in partnership with Worcestershire County Council. In planning terms, policies need to take account of any proposals for municipal waste transfer, treatment or disposal within Herefordshire, which might be put forward by the contractor or subsidiary company. Hereford and each of the five market towns now has a dedicated 'bring site' for householders to take unwanted items. The exception is Kington, which (at January 2011) has permission for its site but construction is yet to begin. The emphasis on such sites is on re-use and recycling, with waste types being segregated ready for onward transmission to treatment centres. Permission also exists for a green waste composting site to take garden clippings (but not any other kind of waste). The majority of Herefordshire's municipal waste is transported out of the county and treated at the contractor's sites in Worcestershire. The main landfill is at Hill-&-Moor near Pershore. Legislation and national policy require a continual reduction in the waste which goes to landfill. The contractor has recently constructed a 'Co-mingled Materials Reclamation Facility' just outside Worcester, to which all door-step recycling is currently taken for sorting and onward transfer. For more information visit the Waste Strategy page

Back to top

Commercial waste

The management of other types and sources of waste, mainly from the commercial sector, is dependent upon market forces and planning permission being granted to individual applicants coming forward with proposals. Waste planning is closely tied to sustainability, resource issues and economies of scale. The types of commodities which can be successfully collected, processed and profitably treated will vary according to circumstance. Some (e.g. paper, cloth and card) are relatively easy to deal with, but others such as tyres, chemicals, and 'putrescibles' like food from shops and restaurants are less so. As Herefordshire lacks heavy industry, much of the county's more difficult commercial wastes are collected and transported out for specialist treatment elsewhere. This is partly because it is relatively remote from the West Midlands conurbation where such wastes can be more easily bulked up for transfer and treatment. This includes items such as hazardous waste, heavy metals, end-of-life vehicle, tyres, chemicals and low-level radioactive wastes for example from hospital x-ray units and vets. Nevertheless, policy needs to take account of the possibility that proposals may come forward in the interests of self-sufficiency.

Back to top

text_and_image 51779

Construction waste and soil

Construction and demolition wastes, including soils, comprise the largest proportion by weight and bulk of all wastes in the UK; Herefordshire is no exception. Facilities do exist but there is a shortfall in capacity despite moves to reduce the generation of such waste, for example by using it on-site for redevelopment by bringing in mobile plant for crushing and screening. There are some complications with correct specifications but increasing volumes of inert waste (known as 'secondary aggregate') are nevertheless being used as a substitute for land-won minerals (known as 'primary aggregate') in hardstandings and foundation slabs. Soils which have been carefully stripped and properly stored with top and sub soils kept separate, may be used for landscaping schemes. However this can be regarded as development in its own right, requiring either planning permission in its own right or at the least as ancillary to another development already permitted. Soils may not be moved from site or one land ownership to another without a valid planning permission. Saved policies in the UDP and in the future LDF support proposals for dealing with this type of waste provided a range of stringent environmental standards can be met. Proposals need to be fully justified, and supported by appropriate surveys, assessments and mitigation in order to gain approval. There is no policy support for 'landfill' or land-raising proposals unless significant environmental gains can be demonstrated.

Back to top

Renewable energy from waste

Targets for recycling and renewable energy are generating proposals for dealing with a range of agricultural waste and effluent. In particular there is considerable interest in on-farm anaerobic digestion plants (AD) to process such matter as manure, slurry, and poultry litter.  AD is a natural process which uses bacteria in tanks to break down the effluent. The output is 'bio-gas' (primarily methane), heat and 'digestate'. The gas can be used to power a turbine to generate electricity to be exported to the grid. The resulting CO2 output is 20 times less powerful than methane as a greenhouse gas. Technology is also being developed to enable the gas itself to be exported direct to the gas grid. Heat can be used locally for poultry units, greenhouses, homes and businesses. The digestate, which may comprise dry solids and liquid, can be spread on land as fertiliser. This material is less odorous than raw effluent, has much of the nitrate and ammonia removed in the digestion process, and reduces requirements for mineral fertilisers. Thus the sustainability and environmental benefits of AD go far beyond the process itself, including reduced traffic movements where effluent is treated within the same farm instead of being shipped out. Policies support proposals for AD in particular, on appropriate sites and subject to high environmental standards. So far more than eight farm units have been approved.

In Europe AD plants are more or less standard farm equipment and it is to be hoped that more proposals will be submitted. AD has been widely used at standard sewage treatment works by the water companies for many years. They have not previously managed to harness the biogas, which has in many cases been simply flared off. A similar situation exists at former landfill sites. However as technology improves it may become more practical to generate energy from the smaller facilities such as are found in Herefordshire. Planning policies need to ready to consider such proposals.

Back to top

New waste technology

Policies also need to be prepared for consideration of other new technologies and processes as they become available in the near future. Although several projects have been approved, implementation is slow. Waste wood (both treated and untreated) is a bulky low-value commodity with limited capacity for re-use; treatment technology is emerging besides the unsatisfactory straight incineration option or Combined Heat and Power (CHP). Accelerated composting, autoclaving, gasification and pyrolysis are new processes not involving combustion, from which renewable energy may be generated with fewer emissions to deal with. It remains to be seen how economic, sustainable and efficient such new plant would prove to be. The resources locked up in sophisticated equipment may only be justifiable for wastes which are particularly difficult to deal with in other ways. There can be further issues with maintaining a specific supply, which discourages the overall primary aim of reducing waste in the first place. There is no easy solution and a flexible approach is essential.

Back to top

Alternative sewerage

Other small-scale success stories include the popularity of sustainable sewage systems for businesses and households. In particular, a number of permissions have been granted for a natural biological process entailing a series of carefully engineered and sealed pools surrounded by dense plantings of willow and other aquatic plants. Sewage is effectively 'digested' by soils and roots, as it tracks through the ponds; the final pond is clear water which is safe for a soakaway or discharge to a watercourse. The planning system can support such alternative proposals on appropriate sites, particularly in rural areas where drainage is difficult and mains sewerage is not available. They can be any size according to need and are extremely effective in containing otherwise problematic effluent. Successful examples include a large system at Westons Cider in Much Marcle, a dairy, various cattle farms, single households, a complex of holiday cottages and a scout camp.

Back to top

Future waste policies

Waste planning policies need to fulfil a number of requirements: amongst other things they need to

• Exercise clear and precise environmental control in accordance with other legislation;
• Incorporate flexibility to allow for emerging technology;
• Enable imaginative solutions and community involvement;
• Offer protection for residential amenity, landscapes and wildlife;
• Take account of traffic implications and economies of scale;
• Facilitate site choice;
• Provide for adequate capacity in anticipating future needs;
• Ensure compatibility with other plans and policies including cross-border considerations.

There is no perfect solution but preparation for all eventualities is a key factor. Studies for the Core Strategy have identified a shortfall in capacity which will need to be met within the foreseeable future. New sites and capacities will need to be identified to meet demand, and Development Plan Documents will probably explore 'areas of search' for suitable locations.

Back to top