Hundreds object to plans for quarry to supply concrete to HS2

Cemex is seeking permission for the facility on land south of the A513 near Orgreave and Alrewas and a planning application was submitted to Staffordshire County Council earlier this year.

Two previous bids to extract sand and gravel, put forward by Western Aggregates Ltd, were refused permission in 1987 and 1992 for reasons including loss of good quality agricultural land.

And the latest proposals have also met with strong opposition in the area.

Councillor Janet Eagland submitted a petition to Thursday’s Staffordshire County Council meeting on behalf of residents.

She said: “As the elected member for Lichfield Rural North, representing Orgreave and Alrewas, I have been asked to present this petition to you. In normal times this petition would be presented with residents’ signatures. However, in these days of Covid-19, this has not been possible.

“Residents of Alrewas and Orgreave, Kings Bromley and Fradley have very strong objections to this application by Cemex to build a huge concrete factory, five storeys in height, on farmland on the edge of their village.

“The county council received earlier this year 669 representations objecting against the planning application. A further 13 representations have been received since, all objecting to the application.

“My objections are environmental, destroying natural habitat and further erosion of our farming capacity, along with HGV movements causing noise, vibration and dust.

“Tourism and leisure businesses are battling to survive in this current climate. Fradley Junction is an important tourist area and this cement factory will be within 150m of the canal connecting Alrewas and Fradley Junction – and clearly visible from the junction itself.”

Lichfield District Council planning committee members also spoke out against the application at their meeting on Monday.

A consultation response put forward by the district council said: “In considering this application it is essential that Staffordshire County Council must consider whether there is a demonstrated need for this proposal and be satisfied that permitted reserves or allocated extensions to existing sites cannot meet the required level of provision.

“LDC raises strong concerns in respect of the justification for the proposals and request that these concerns are fully assessed as part of your determination of the application. In the event that the applicant cannot demonstrate full compliance with the polices in the adopted Minerals Local Plan, LDC raises an objection to the principle of development.

“The stated need for the development and link to the construction of HS2 is questioned. LDC recommends that SCC review this important matter prior to determination. There is also concern about the proposed timeframe of the development, it is recommended that SCC ascertain whether the proposed four/five years of use is appropriate and realistic. In reality the extraction works on this site is likely to be on-going for a significantly longer period of time with all the ongoing adverse impacts on the local rural area.”

Cemex has said the need for the site now outweighs the concerns raised during previous applications however.

A planning statement submitted to Staffordshire County Council said: “The development is proposed to supply the HS2 infrastructure project with 500,000 cubic metres of ready-mix concrete, over a period of four years. The sand and gravel reserve is estimated at 1.4 million tonnes, with some of this being surplus material in order to allow for commercial flexibility and material not suitable for the ready-mix.

“The concrete is all proposed to be used to supply HS2. Any excess sand and gravel not suitable for concrete is proposed to supply local markets, which could include HS2 depending on their requirements

“HS2’s approved Code of Construction Practice for Phase 1 states that the core hours would be 8am-6pm on weekdays and 8am-1pm on Saturdays, with an hour either side for set-up and close-down periods. The working hours at this site for concrete production would align with those of HS2. However, Cemex would like the flexibility to operate the concrete plant at any time, in the event that HS2 receives permission to operate at other times and as such concrete is needed outside of those hours.

“It is estimated that there would be an average of 49 loads of concrete going out of the site per day, equating to 98 HGV movements based on seven days per week working. There would be approximately 8-9 loads of aggregate going out on weekdays and 3-5 on Saturdays, based on normal operating hours as set out. Cement deliveries coming in would be approximately 4-5 per day, based on seven days per week.”