Staffordshire concrete plant opens longer to help build HS2

Extended operating hours will be allowed at a Staffordshire concrete plant until the end of March to help meet demand from the nearby HS2 project - despite noise concerns raised by residents. Controversial plans for the quarry on farmland to the south of the A513 near Orgreave and Alrewas were narrowly approved by county councillors in July 2021

As part of the conditions for the original approval, the plant can be only be operated and concrete exported between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday and between 8am and 1pm on Saturdays. Written approval must be sought for occasions when the concrete plant would be required to operate for extended hours.

In June 2023 permission was granted by Staffordshire County Council for extended operating hours up to the end of July 2023, but this consent was not implemented. On Thursday (January 9) a fresh request for extended operating hours up to the end of March was considered by the committee.

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A report to Thursday's meeting said: "When the original planning application was considered by the Planning Committee, Cemex proposed that the concrete plant at the quarry would be required to occasionally operate over extended hours in connection with construction works on the HS2 railway. Such works would be authorised under Section 61 (prior consent for work on construction sites) of the Control and Pollution Act 1974

"The works requiring concrete during the proposed period of extended hours relate to the construction of the South Staffordshire Line Overbridge, the A38 Southbound Slip Road Overbridge and the A38 Rykneld Street Overbridge.

"In mitigation, the applicant proposes that HGV movements during proposed extended hours would be consistent with the limits defined by Condition 26 that requires that lorry movements should not exceed 170 movements within a 24-hour period Monday to Friday, 86 movements on Saturdays and 17 during each evening and night-time period (if approved under condition 9) In accordance with the previous approval for extended operations at the quarry’s concrete plant, it is proposed that lorry movements on Saturdays and Sundays would not exceed 103 during a 24-hour period, of which no more than 17 would take place between 6pm to 7am

"Monitoring of limits on noise levels as defined in the planning permission would be undertaken in accordance with the approved noise monitoring scheme. Cemex propose to monitor night-time operations (10pm to 7am) every two weeks when the concrete plant is being used and monthly for the daytime operations.

"The applicant has stated their need to start supplying concrete to the HS2 works subject of the current Section 61 consent as soon as possible. Not being able to supply from these sites in a timely manner means that HGVs are likely to have to come from further afield to supply the projects instead, which is unsustainable, and causes more emissions to air and carbon emissions due to the longer journeys involved.

"It also means that the life of the Pyford Brook Quarry may end up being longer than anticipated if the concrete cannot be supplied in time to the Phase 1 HS2 project as intended."

A resident and members of local parish councils raised concerns about notice periods for out of hours working however, as well as quarry traffic, noise from vehicles and an on-site loudspeaker system. Stephen Cox said: "We question the long period of three months until the end of March for this application.

"When permission was originally applied for, 24/7 working was supposed to be required on a small number of occasions when HS2 might require continuous supply during a 24 hour period. The residents of Orgreave therefore believe this three-month period requested by Cemex to be excessive.

"We believe each part of the HS2 project that requires out of hours working should be applied for once specific dates are known from HS2 so the community have full knowledge and adequate notice of each event, including the duration and specific hours of working. The danger of applications of this nature is that the applicant can work out of hours without notice and it might be difficult to establish if it is being used for HS2 works with the Section 61 permission."

Local county councillor Janet Eagland said: "When the planning committee granted Cemex permission to extract sand and gravel from its site - albeit by one vote - out of hours working was never mentioned. Why was this not mentioned in the first application?

"Complaints come from noise from Cemex's public address system, and vehicles. What would the quality of life be like for residents living in the villages?

"I ask you to take notice of all the information that has been presented to you, on behalf of all the people living with this threat of disruption to their lives and families. I ask you to refuse this application."

Committee members sought assurances on the extended hours of operation, measures to notify residents of extended hours, noise issues and traffic management, including use of the specified route to and from the quarry. They approved the application subject to conditions including the immediate notification of members of the quarry’s liaison committee for each period of extended operation of the concrete plant, measures to avoid use of the loudspeaker on the site and installation of right turn only signage at the quarry entrance for lorries leaving the site.

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