HOODSCLOSE/WHITTONSTALL OPENCAST - (updated AUgust 2012)

Nearly one hundred residents of Whittonstall, Hedley and Stocksfield attended a public meeting on Saturday 7 July to discuss the considerable impact the Hoodsclose opencast development by UK Coal Ltd could have on the whole area. The scale of the mining operation – to extract over 2 million tons of coal and fireclay as well as 38 million tons of rock - will have far-reaching consequences for local people. It was stated at the meeting, based on evidence gathered from surveys of local businesses and residents that over 90% are opposed to the development. It was further emphasised that the voice of the local community could play a significant part, and is pivotal to any decision-making. Concerns were raised about health and safety; the inevitable noise from blasting; pollution; the irrevocable damage to the environment and landscape and the increased flow of traffic to and from the site, for the most part heavy goods vehicles and service vans and trucks. Stocksfield would without doubt be one of those areas to be affected adversely. It is also likely that were the scheme allowed to go ahead that further coal mining applications close to Stocksfield would ensue. Based upon the advice contained on the Whittonstall Action Group website, www.whittonstallactiongroup.co.uk residents are encouraged to send in letters of objection as a matter of urgency. These letters should be addressed to: Frances Wilkinson, Senior Planning Officer, Central Planning Office, County Hall, Morpeth, NE61 2EF or via email: planning@northumberland.gov.uk

Merryshields Quarry update - (updated 16th March 2012)

In the Winter 2011 issue of NE43 News, we reported on the planning application made by SITA UK, owners of Merryshields Quarry, to extend permission to extract sand and gravel from the site for a further fifteen years. The application is still under consideration by Northumberland County Council's Planning Department, but Annemarie Wilshaw, SITA UK's Planning Manager, has now responded in writing to the questions raised by the Parish Council about their future intentions in relation to the quarry.

Ms Wilshaw makes clear in the letter that "SITA UK have no plans to recommence sand and gravel extraction or landfill at Merryshields in the short term, although both have to date only been partially completed and recommencement would be market dependent". She goes on to say that "if the local community has appropriate proposals for a nature reserve on a specific area of the site, (SITA UK) would be happy to consider them". This latter offer has been passed on to the Rights of Way and Environment Group for discussion and action, if appropriate.

Though this response is reassuring, there is nothing to rule out a decision to operate the site again in the medium to long term, and the Parish Council will continue to monitor the situation.

This is the full text of Ms Wilshaw's letter:

PLANNING APPLICATION REF. 11/01479/MINREV: MERRYSHIELDS QUARRY - REVIEW OF OLD MINERALS PERMISSIONS IN RESPECT OF SAND AND GRAVEL EXTRACTION

I am writing in response to the questions raised in your letter of 4th November relating to the planning application submitted to review - the mineral planning permission at Merryshields.

The fly tipping identified at the quarry was limited in extent and does not occur regularly. SITA UK make regular visits to the site and any such fly tipping is cleared. Should this become a regular problem then we will work with the Environment Agency to identify the perpetrators.

No distinction was intended between the terms 'mineral extraction' and 'sand and gravel extraction' at Merryshields. The phased extraction detail provides only for sand and gravel extraction and not for any other mineral such as clay. The existing planning consent reference IDO/E/3 is for 'sand and gravel extraction at Merryshields Quarry' and, as a review of that consent, this current application cannot grant permission for anything more than is currently consented.

SITA UK have no plans to recommence sand and gravel extraction or landfill at Merryshields in the short term, although both have to date only been partially completed and recommencement would be market dependant. Any recommencement of landfilling activities at Merryshields Quarry would require a new Environmental Permit application to the Environment Agency.

The quarry and landfill at Merryshields has been 'mothballed' for some years now and as part of the Mineral Review application process the ecological value of the site is assessed. The purpose of such assessment is to ensure that were the operator to resume activities at the site, any potential ecological impacts would be appropriately addressed and mitigated.

The Mineral Review process is intended to ensure that appropriate and relevant and up to date planning conditions are attached to mineral planning consents which often span long time periods and can become outdated. It is not SITA UK's intention to change any aspect of the permitted scheme at present.

SITA UK would not wish to encourage access onto areas of the unrestored landfill or quarry and restored areas are generally farmed, but if the local community has appropriate proposals for a nature reserve on a specific area of the site then we would be happy to consider them.

The Bywell extraction site to the north of the railway line was quarried and restored by Cemex and we understand that Northumberland County Council are currently considering its release from aftercare. SITA UK are of the view that the conditions attached to the planning permission have been fulfilled; earthworks as you propose would require a further planning permission and would disturb the regeneration of the pond. It is SITA UK's intention to honour its obligation to return the land to the Agricultural Tenancy of Mr Telfer, of Merryshields Farm.

As described above, it is not our intention in this 'ROMP' application to change any part of the currently approved scheme for sand and gravel extraction at Merryshields unless the council consider it appropriate and necessary to do so. The process is designed to ensure up to date and relevant planning conditions remain attached to the mineral extraction consent, such that were operations to resume they would be appropriately controlled.

MINERALS EXTRACTION IN THE STOCKSFIELD AREA - (updated November 2011)

Surface extraction of coal (opencast mining)

In November 2010, UK Coal submitted an application to Northumberland County Council for planning permission to extract 2.2 million tonnes of coal and 500,000 tonnes of fireclay by surface mining methods on land north and south of the B6309 at Hoodsclose, near Whittonstall. The application caused serious concerns to local people, and led to the establishment of Whittonstall Action Group, which has mounted a campaign against UK Coal's proposal.

At its meeting in October 2011, Broomley & Stocksfield Parish Council received a presentation from Whittonstall Action Group, and, following a discussion, Parish Councillors agreed unanimously to offer their full support to the Action Group and write to Northumberland County Council to record their objections to this proposal.

All the Parish Councils in East Tynedale have now expressed their opposition to the plans. A decision on the planning application is expected early in 2012.

There is more information about the opencast proposals and the Action Group at: whittonstallactiongroup.co.uk

Extraction of sand and gravel

In July 2011, SITA, the owners of Merryshields Quarry, made an application to Northumberland County Council's Planning Department to extend permission to extract sand and gravel at the quarry for a further 15 years. A number of worried residents contacted the Parish Council about this, and also raised their concerns with County Councillor Anne Dale.

Permission to quarry the site was originally granted in 1948, and has been extended a number of times since. The last time the permission was reviewed was in 1995. The Parish Council is not able to object to the application, as permission has already been granted, but the application for an extension gives Councillors the opportunity to comment on the proposal and suggest conditions that can be applied.

The Parish Council's response to the application, which was agreed at the September 2011 meeting, points out the changes that have taken place in Stocksfield in the last 17 years, emphasising the growth in population, the increase in traffic on the A695, and the problems of localised flooding that have arisen in the area near the quarry. It goes on to detail a number of concerns about the impact of quarrying at the site, particularly on young children attending Broomley County First School and under-5s provision in the village, and ends by proposing a number of conditions that should be applied, including a requirement that the Parish Council be given three months written notice if SITA decide to start quarrying again, and a requirement that SITA consult with local residents on how best to protect the flora and fauna which have developed on the site in the years since sand and gravel were last extracted.

The Parish Council has also written to SITA requesting answers to a number of questions about their plans for the quarry.

Although it is likely that the extension to the existing permission will be granted, this does not necessarily mean that work will start again at the quarry. SITA's decision to extract sand and gravel will be a commercial one, dependent on the market. The Parish Council will continue to monitor the situation.

Advice for protecting homes and businesses from flooding

ADVANCE WARNINGS

All too often residents assume that the local authority or Fire and Rescue will be able to provide sandbags when they realise that there is a risk of flooding.

What people do not realise is that the advance warning systems for flooding is unable to provide much notice.

Advance warning systems for river flooding comes from gauges which measure the increasing height of the river. This provides at best about two hours notice of a flood event from a river.

Flooding from surface water from fields, roads and streams comes with no advance warning other than the weather forecast for heavy rain or the recognised fact that snow-melt causes flooding.

It is therefore important that residents ensure that they do not wait until their property is at risk of flooding before ensuring that they have sandbags or other more permanent flood defence measures.

The following advice will help people to ensure that they make the most of available information and take advantage of available services to protect their properties from flooding.

ADVICE TO RESIDENTS AT RISK OF FLOODING

1. Sources of Flooding

Flooding can arise from main rivers, streams, ditches or flow across fields and roads.
Try to find out where the source of likely flooding may come from as this will help you to prepare to defend your property from flooding.

Remember that it does not need to be raining heavily in your area for the rivers or streams to overflow since often the flooding is a result of heavy rain further up the river or stream.

2. Prepare for Flooding

Do not wait until flooding is imminent before taking action to protect your property. Your Fire and Rescue service or local authority will take time to deliver sandbags to you once you contact them, since it takes them time to get staff from home to work to collect and deliver sandbags.

Once you recognise that flood waters are threatening your home it is likely that there will not be adequate time to deliver sandbags. Remember that you may recognise the risk of flooding long before your local authority or Fire and Rescue Service realise that there is a problem. Do not assume that someone can deliver sandbags in time to protect you from flooding.

3. Sandbags

Make sure that you keep a stock of sandbags on your property at all times, so that you can place them out as soon as you receive warnings of rising river levels or heavy rainfall in the region. Sandbags can be kept in a pile in a corner of your garden and can be placed to minimise there unsightly appearance if kept under a tarpaulin or similar covering.

Sandbags should be checked regularly and the new poly propylene sandbags, rather than jute, will last for a while in the open, but will become frail in time. Check them at least every six months and throw away any that split when you move them.

Your local authority will supply sandbags to properties at risk of flooding.

You will normally have to collect them yourself since anyone unable to collect the sandbags will not be able to make use of them during a flood.

Only in an emergency, or when people do not possess a vehicle, will they be delivered.

4. Flood Protection Equipment

There are proprietary flood defence products available that will enable you with little time or effort to erect flood defences to doors, French windows, vents, sinks and drainage outlet pipes that will protect you from a sudden flood. The Environment Agency website provides details of proprietary products that can be fitted to doors, air vents, toilets, sinks and windows to resist flooding.

If your property is subject to repeated floods then more permanent flood defence measures should be considered.

Flood protection installed on your property if it is at risk should be considered in the same way as central heating, double glazing and alarm systems.

They are all expensive measures designed to protect your property and need to be installed and then replaced every 20 years or so.

5. Act Now

The last flood may have been a traumatic experience, but perhaps it has not happened very often.

However, the fact is that flooding can happen at any time and when it does, there is little that can be done, unless you are prepared with either sandbags or installed flood protection equipment.

ACT NOW by ensuring that you organise a supply of sandbags, while the local authority is not responding to flood requests.

Consider whether the risk is great enough or regular enough that you need to install flood protection to your doors, windows, vents and drains.

For a supply of sandbags contact Northumberland County Council contact centre who will advise you on how and where to collect sandbags.