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October 2008

Caughley Quarry near Broseley Shropshire (Application No: MB2008/0726/BR)

Planning Application: Extension of existing clay workings to win clays and associated coal resources with progressive restoration to agriculture and nature conservation use

Shropshire CPRE has objected to the above application on the following grounds:

Adverse effects on residents. Close proximity of the proposed extension to two nearby properties. While any one of the adverse effects at one receptor may by itself be deemed to be acceptable, nevertheless the totality of the effects at that receptor may cumulate to be unacceptable when taken as a whole. We asked the Council to consider these cases in detail. We also asked the Council to check whether the properties are on mains water, and, if not, to check whether the proposed workings will adversely affect the water supply.

Stockpile. Lack of a limit on the tonnage of material that may be stockpiled – one does not want excessively high and visually ugly mounds appearing.

Ecology. Our concern on this matter is the vulnerability of wild life to the ever diminishing suitable habitat. We are therefore opposed to the proposal of the creation of a new access through the ancient woodland of Ash Coppice and we would also seek to minimise the loss of hedgerows. We also stated that it would have been desirable to have conducted more than one night’s observation on bats.

We also made the following further comments on the above application: (a) We asked the Council to look at the traffic flows of the “previous years” in the light of the present-day flows of other traffic rather than those prevalent at that former time; (b) Ensure that there will be adequate monitoring of the restoration process; (c) In view of current economic problems, we are concerned that the size of extension sought may be too large, and that excessive stocks of extracted material may be stockpiled.

Overall , we wished the Council to look carefully at the findings of the applicant's consultants, and, in particular, we asked the Council to make up its own mind about the significance of each of the effects, beneficial or adverse, of the proposed development.