The Development Control Committee of Lancashire County Council met on Wednesday, 6th March 2024, to discuss planning applications. The committee granted planning permission for amendments to conditions at Iron House Farm in Wyre Borough and approved a variation of conditions for mineral working at Waddington Fell Quarry in Ribble Valley Borough.

Iron House Farm, Out Rawcliffe: Planning Application LCC/2023/0031

The committee granted planning permission for amendments to conditions 3, 8, and 9 of planning permission LCC/2020/0061 at Iron House Farm, located on Lancaster Road, Out Rawcliffe. These amendments allow for amended hours of operation and permit up to 75,000 tonnes of green waste, waste timber, or other waste materials to be imported annually for composting. The changes also amend the limitation on the number of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) exporting compost to an average of five per day over a 12-month period.

The application was supported by the Out Rawcliffe Parish Council's objection, which cited concerns about the impact on the rural environment, public nuisance, an inadequate local road network, and insufficient information regarding vehicle movements. County Councillor John Shedwick, representing the Thornton and Hambleton division, also supported this objection.

Lancashire County Council Highways Development Control raised no objections, stating that the proposed changes would not negatively impact highway safety. The Environment Agency also had no comments.

The committee resolved to grant planning permission subject to conditions controlling time limits, working programmes, highway issues, tonnage restrictions, hours of operation, noise and dust, drainage, and landscaping, as detailed in the committee report.

Waddington Fell Quarry, Slaidburn Road, Waddington: Planning Application LCC/2023/0039

Planning permission was granted for a variation of Condition 1 of Planning Permission LCC/2022/0057 at Waddington Fell Quarry, located on Slaidburn Road, Waddington. This variation allows mineral working to continue until 1 July 2026, with final restoration to be completed by 1 July 2027.

The application received objections from Newton-in-Bowland Parish Council and Waddington Parish Council. Newton-in-Bowland Parish Council raised concerns about additional vehicle movements, the assumption that the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP) would commence, and that works could be seen from a public footpath, contrary to the application's claims. Waddington Parish Council strongly objected to the time extension, stating that the community had long awaited the end of active mining operations by December 2023 and that any extensions should be for restoration only. They also raised concerns about the impact of increased heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic on Slaidburn Road and through Waddington village, the lack of a traffic plan, and the condition of the highway. Two individual representations also objected on similar grounds, citing the blight of quarry traffic, pollution, and the impact on residents' well-being.

The Ribble Valley Borough Council raised no objection. The Environment Agency also had no objection, noting that an Environmental Permit would be required for any controlled waste and mining waste operations. Lancashire County Council Highways Development Control also raised no objection, subject to conditions regarding hours of working, wheel washing, sheeting of vehicles, and records of vehicle movements.

A key discussion point was the timing of the HARP project and its relation to the quarry's closure. Mr Chris Sullivan, a local resident, addressed the committee, highlighting that the HARP scheme's traffic management plan assumed no outflow of minerals from the quarry. He proposed linking the planning permission to the commencement of the HARP programme itself, rather than the period when arisings from tunnelling would begin. United Utilities indicated that the HARP scheme was unlikely to commence until late 2025 or early 2026.

The committee resolved to grant planning permission, subject to an amendment to condition 1. The amended condition states that mining operations shall cease no later than 1 July 2026 or prior to the commencement of development works associated with the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme, whichever is the earlier. Restoration is to be completed by 1 July 2027.

Planning Decisions Taken by the Director of Environment and Planning

The committee noted a report detailing planning decisions taken by the Director of Environment and Planning in accordance with the County Council's Scheme of Delegation since the last meeting on 17 January 2024. Eight decisions were made under this delegation.