A planning application has been submitted by Vistry Homes and John A Wells to spread 13,000 tonnes of surplus topsoil at Sharphill Wood.
Proposal: Planning Application for the Spreading of Waste Topsoil on Land West of Sharphill Wood with (post-Development) Continuing Agricultural Use
Location: Land west of Sharphill Wood, Edwalton ( see plans lower down the article )
Applicant: Vistry Homes and John A Wells Ltd.
A report to Nottinghamshire County Council’s Planning and Rights of Way Committee has been released which outlines a planning application for the spreading of waste topsoil on land west of Sharphill Wood with (post-development) continuing agricultural use.
The key issues pertain to the sustainable management of waste, whether the proposal is appropriate development in the Green Belt, the management of surface water, and impacts to public rights of way.
The recommendation is to grant planning permission subject to conditions – the committee will meet on 30 April to discuss further.
According to the documents, the site comprises land designated as Green Belt and the disposal of waste in such locations is least preferred by the Waste Core Strategy. The application has been advertised as a ‘departure’ from the Development Plan.
Proposed Development
The proposed development comprises the spreading of approximately 38,000m³ (13,420 tonnes) of topsoil on the application site across two phases and will take approximately six weeks in total to complete; this includes both moving the soils and spreading and leveling them across the application site.
The movement of soils will be undertaken by earth moving mobile plant, specifically excavators, articulated dump trucks, and dozers.
The excavator will be located at the stockpiles and will load the articulated dump trucks, which will then transport the topsoil from the stockpile area to the application site.
Two dozers will be located within the application site fields and will spread the topsoil as soon as it is released by the articulated dump trucks.
There would be a maximum of four articulated dump trucks transporting soils at any one time. Each truck has a capacity of 20m³ per load, and it is proposed to move approximately 60 loads each working day which equates to a daily volume of approximately 1200m³. This equates to about six weeks operational period.
The machinery will access the site and move between individual fields using existing vehicular access points. The existing access points are used for agricultural purposes therefore there is no requirement to create new access or widen the existing access.
The application site extends to approximately 27.9 hectares and is located generally north of the A52 and east of the A60 in Edwalton (See Plan 1).
The application site comprises four fields which are under continuous arable management. The fields are divided by mature hedgerows intermixed with sparse trees. The boundary hedgerows have existing access points for agricultural machinery associated with the existing agricultural use.
The site is adjacent to Sharphill Wood Local Wildlife Site to the immediate east.
To the west lies Wilford Hill and Southern cemeteries. A small number of residential properties on Peveril Drive bound the northern corner of the application site.
The application site is wholly located within Flood Zone 1 and is generally at very low risk from surface water flooding. There are no main rivers or watercourses within the site or within close vicinity.
In terms of topography, the highest point of the site is centre-north at 85.19 m above ordnance datum (AOD). The lowest point is in the northeast corner at 61.68 m AOD. Two named hills, Spinney Hill and Sharp Hill are within the site boundary, as well as the edge of Wilford Hill directly to the west. The hills generally peak in the centre of the site and then fall towards the site boundaries.
There are a number of public rights of way (PROW) that circumvent and/or pass through the site. These include West Bridgford FP26 leading up from Peveril Drive and passing along the north-eastern site boundary to the woods. Two east-west paths (FP27 and FP28) then connect directly across the site from FP26 to the ‘Old Road’, itself a public bridleway (BW11), beside the cemetery. FP29 then runs along the western boundary within the site linking FPs 27 and
28 (See Plan 2).
The application site is located in the Nottingham and Derby Green Belt.
The development of the Edwalton Sustainable Urban Extension (SUE) is taking place on the adjoining land to the east of the application site and largely beyond Sharphill Woods. The sites are connected in the northern section via an existing agricultural access point within the hedgerow.
Background
It is commonplace for there to be surplus topsoil generated from development of the scale of the Edwalton SUE. For the earlier phases of the SUE development, it was possible to spread the surplus topsoil on the Community Park area of the development. The Community Park is now levelled, and the landscaping scheme is being planted, therefore it is no longer possible to spread the topsoil
on this area of land.
As a result, there is a need to remove the topsoil offsite. The topsoil needs removing from the site to enable the delivery of the final phases of the Edwalton SUE including the community park.
Consultations
Rushcliffe Borough Council –
No objection subject to the following considerations being satisfactorily addressed:
Surface Water Drainage
Ecology
Construction noise/disturbance
Dust migration
Footway diversion matters.
Requests conditions in relation to:
Soil handling
Control of noise, dust, and vibration during works
Tree and hedge protection
Hours of operation of site works
Surface water drainage
Land restoration
An ecological walkover survey immediately prior to commencement
Details of HGV routing
A time limitation to the footpath closure
Retention of existing natural land contours.
Environment Agency –
Advises that this development may require an environmental permit under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations.
National Highways –
No objections.
Active Travel England
– No comment.
Natural England –
No objection, subject to good soil management.
Nottinghamshire County Council ( NCC ) (Nature Conservation) –
Comments/concerns regarding run-off and lack of biodiversity net gain.
NCC (Lead Local Flood Authority) – No objection.
NCC (Highways) – No objections subject to a condition relating to the control of unregulated water discharge into the highway.
NCC (Built Heritage) – No objection.
NCC (Archaeology) – No comments to offer from an archaeological viewpoint.
Ramblers (Nottinghamshire Ramblers) – Objects. Concerns raised about the effects on public rights of way and on access to the area generally and into Sharphill Woods whilst the works take place.
Via (Countryside Access) – No objections. Acknowledges that West Bridgford Footpaths 26, 27, 28, & 29 all cross or run adjacent to the development.
Via (Noise Engineer) – No objections.
Rushcliffe Environmental Health – No objections. Notes that the surplus topsoil is currently stockpiled within two bunds on the adjacent development site and has arisen as a result of the cut and fill exercises on Phases 7 and 8 of the Edwalton Sustainable Urban Extension (SUE).
Friends of Sharphill Wood – Objection. Concerns regarding the long-term damage to habitats, surface water management, and development in the Green Belt.
