Amey CLG Minutes June 2018

AMEY COMMUNITY LIAISON GROUP MEETING NOTES

Thursday 14 June 2018 at 6pm.

Amey Waterbeach Waste Management Park

Attendees: David Craig (Local Resident), Chris Webster (Local Resident), Jane Williamson (Farmland Museum), Cllr Anna Bradnam (CCC/SCDC), David Mudd (Cottenham PC), Judith Rippeth (SCDC), John Martin (Local Resident), Philip Handschin (Local Resident), Cllr Hazel Smith (SCDC), Cllr Eileen Wilson (SCDC), Cllr Neil Gough (SCDC), Andrew Stevens (Local Resident), Barrie Hughes (Local Residents), Claire Saville (Local Residents), Nigel Seamarks (Waterbeach PC), Duncan Beaumont (EA), Emma Fitch (CCC), Peter Dawes (Frimstone), Chris Smiles (Amey), Ian Clarke (Amey), Jon Jones (Amey)

Apologies: Barbara Bull Erik Fuller-Lewis (Local Resident), Tim Marks (Amey)

1. Welcome and introductions

Chris Smiles (CS) opened the meeting. Introductions were made along with any apologies.

2. Minutes of previous meeting

Minutes of the previous meeting were reviewed. A CLG member asked that their name was not explicitly mentioned in the minutes.

No other comments were made and the minutes were approved

3. Operational update

Jon Jones (JJ) provided the new members with an overview of the Waterbeach waste managment site and its historical development.

Jon Jones (JJ) provided the following operational update:

Landfill: Designs are in place for phase 14 of the landfill and Amey is currently looking at options for clay extracted from phase 14 cells, including suitability for local highways works. Works to create new phase of cells (14A, 14B & 14C) should commence in summer 2018. Cell 14A will be created first and then B&C to follow. Total construction time is expected to be 12 months approx.

MRF: MRF continues to operate at full capacity on a 24/7 basis. Recent breakdowns have caused drop in production which coupled with 2 day major maintenance period has caused backlog on site and also diversion of material to other processors. It is expected that all excess stock will be cleared over next couple of months.

MBT: Wind damage to side panels will be sorted in spring –scaffolding has been erected along car park and Levitts field sides of compost hall. Contractor appointed and works proper will commence when scaffold complete. Full internal structural survey of roof purlins due to be completed this week. Hopefully this will show that works can be completed as originally planned. If purlins are not structurally sound to allow currently planned works, then alternative method of repair will be required. Works to air handling will continue in 2018

Composting: Processing as normal. Waste inputs now reduced. Odour complaints received were reduced compared to 2016. 2016 total: 137, 2017 total: 90. Total until end of May is 16, compared to 21 in 2016 and 18 in 2017 for same period. Odour monitoring ongoing.

Number of complaints received

Following the update by JJ a discussion was held with respect to the odour complaints and the reporting process. The general consensus from the group was that:

• further detail with respect to the weather conditions at the time of complaints would be helpful – a link to weather data/wind roses could be provided
• a webform to report complaints would be useful – this could be accessed via the AmeyCespa website
• improved metrics would be useful - for example the number of odour issues identified by Amey and actioned (“self policed”) in comparison to those reported by members of the public

A CLG member asked what the position was with the EA with respect to the BAT assessment of the IVC. JJ confirmed that Amey had provided all relevant documentation to the EA and that a meeting would be held to discuss.

4. Future developments (Amey)

As Tim Marks (TM) was unable to attend the meeting Ian Clarke (IC) gave the following update:

Energy from Waste: As discussed at the previous meetings, Amey submitted a Planning Application shortly before Christmas.

Consultation events related to the Planning Application were held in December, January and March.

Following a review by the Planning Authority of the consultation responses to the Planning Application a request for further information was made. A response to this request was provided to the Planning Authority and a second round of consultation on this information was concluded.

Currently it is expected for the proposals to be considered at Planning Committee on 19 July.

Following the report by IC a number of issues were raised with respect to the Energy from Waste Planning application and Permit application.

With respect to the Permit the following issues were raised and discussed:

• The Permit consultation process – DB confirmed that the permit consultation process will be advertised and that efforts will be made to try and ensure that all relevant parties are aware of the Permit consultation process. Amey offered to share details of its approach with the EA.
• Timing of the Permit application – IC confirmed that this would be when internal governance processes had been completed and when all the relevant details had been gathered for the Permit application to be made. IC indicated that the application would be most likely in the next quarter. An undertaking was made to inform the Liaison group of when the Permit application had been made. EF confirmed that anybody who had made a representation to the Planning Application would be notified of the Permit application.
• CBWIN – DB raised some concern over the veracity of some statements in the recently circulated CBWIN leaflet – a matter which he proposed to take up with them directly
• Permit outcome – A CLG member asked if Amey would commence building the EFW before receiving a Permit. IC confirmed that this decision would be undertaken nearer the time and understanding the potential risks of progressing with construction with the Permit yet to be determined.
• Stack height – a discussion was had about stack height. DB confirmed the Air Quality model and emission modelling would be verified by the EA (National Permitting Team) as part of the Permit application evaluation.

With respect to the Planning Application the following issues were raised and discussed:

• Air quality model and AQ impact assessment – A CLG member asked if the AQ model and AQ impact assessment for the EFW had taken into account the impacts of other concurrent Planning Applications (e.g Mitchell Hill). EF and Amey confirmed this was the case and cumulative impacts had been assessed.
• Air quality model and AQ impact assessment – A CLG member asked if the A10 and the traffic on it had been considered in the AQ model and AQ impact assessment. EF and Amey confirmed this was the case and cumulative impacts had been assessed.
• Air Pollution Control Residue – A CLG member asked how these materials were moved from site. IC confirmed that this material would be stored in silos and then moved from site in road-going vacuum tankers. It was confirmed that these tankers had been considered as part of the traffic assessment.
• Planning outcome: A CLG member asked what would happen if the Planning Application were to be refused. IC confirmed that Amey would consider on what grounds the application was refused and then consider its options.
• 250m Cordon Sanitaire – A CLG member asked for an explanation about the Cordon Sanitaire. EF explained that this zone was established around the landfill to discourage development within this area. It does not prevent developers building in this area but it places a extra responsibility on them to justify development, to the Planning Authority, in this zone.

New Bridge the new bridge mentioned at a previous meeting is still in the preapplication stage Litter Fence – the litter fence is to be extended from near the MRF to the front of the site.

Lighting –plans to upgrade the lighting to LEDs are being considered

Anaerobic Digestion – No update

5. Future developments (Frimstone)

An update was given on Frimstone activity. Operations at Gravel Diggers Farm are now drawing to a close and are likely to finish in the summer.

The application to extend working to Mitchell Hill was submitted in January which included some minor changes to the site boundary and the movement of the processing plant approx. 100m north.

A request for further information from the Planning Authority had been received with respect to the Mitchell Hill Planning Application and Frimstone intend to submit this information before the end of June after which a period of further consultation (30 days) is expected.

Frimstone expect the Planning Application to go to Planning Committee in September. A CLG member asked what the plan was at Mitchell Hill. PD confirmed that the application was for the extraction of c1.7M tonnes of sand and gravel over 15 years with the phased backfill of inert material. Final restoration will be to an agreed profile.

A CLG member commented that they had not seen any publicity for the public exhibition. Frimstone confirmed that they had been publicised via parish councils and letters to immediate residents.

6. County and District Council updates

Emma Fitch provided the following update:

Monitoring Site Visits

The most recent monitoring visits to both the Amey Waterbeach Waste Management Park and Gravel Diggers mineral extraction site (see the CCC/CRC/2 map attached for context) took place on 8 March 2018 as part of the formal County Planning monitoring regime.

The monitoring report relating to the Waste Management Park noted the presence of a security cabin and barrier that required planning permission and Amey has since submitted applications for Non Material Amendments to regularise the security cabin and barrier (reference S/0013/15/CW/N3) and also to increase the area of litter catch fencing on the site (reference S/0014/15/CW/N2). These applications are being considered as non-material amendments to the relevant planning permissions and officers are reviewing the information submitted to see if the proposals can be approved.

The Gravel Diggers Mineral Extraction site was found to be in full compliance with relevant planning conditions, and there was no evidence of contractors vising the site using Lots Drove, as noted from a complaint received in February 2018. The above were the last monitoring visits of the 2017 / 2018 financial year, so three further monitoring visits to each site will take place between now and 31 March 2019.

Levitt’s Field, Energy from Waste planning application (S/3372/17/CW) update

The formal public consultation period provided by the County Council for the additional environmental information expired on Tuesday 29 May 2018, following a regulator run public drop-in session (attended by planning officers at Cambridgeshire County Council; and officers of the Environment Agency and Public Health England) held on Wednesday 16 May 2018. The Waste Planning Authority is in the process of acknowledging and taking account of all the representations made, and these responses are in the process of being discussed with the applicant and their agent to ensure all environmental matters and points of clarification have been covered to allow the application to proceed to Planning Committee.

As noted in the previous update, the Energy from Waste planning application (S/3372/17/CW) is accompanied by an Environmental Statement that looks not only at the proposed development and existing / planned operations on the wider waste management site, but also the potential for wider proposals to come forward. The cumulative assessment includes proposals for housing development at the Waterbeach Barracks / Airfield site; the Mitchell Hill planning application currently being determined; and the glasshouse permission at Chittering determined by East Cambridgeshire District Council. The Mitchell Hill planning application was considered in the additional environmental information by the applicant, on the basis that it is yet to be covered in the Mitchell Hill submission. Although this assessment was not required to be carried out by the applicant, it was included to avoid any delays to the consideration of their planning application. At present, the Council is still planning for this EfW application to be considered by the County Council’s Planning Committee on Thursday 19 July 2018. However, this is dependent on being able to assess all the planning comments in time to be able to finalise the officer report, so this is still subject to change. A current extension of time until 19 August 2018 has been provided by the applicant to take account of the 19 July Planning Committee date and allow time for the Secretary of State to determine if he wants to call in the planning application. As such, in the event of a delay, a further extension of time will be sought from the applicant accordingly. Mitchell Hill, Extraction of Sand & Gravel Extraction with restoration using inert material and inert waste planning application (S/0088/18/CM) update

The applicant’s agent has been notified of additional environmental information required under Regulation 22 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2017. These mainly relate to cumulative impacts with the above EfW planning application, and concerns surrounding traffic and noise in particular. Once this information has been received, a further public consultation period will take place for 30 days, ahead of a report being written and taken to Planning Committee in due course.

The case officer (Mr David Atkinson) requested the additional environmental information from the applicant’s agent in writing on Friday 8 June 2018, and at the time of writing this update this additional information was yet to be submitted (an oral update will be provided at the meeting if this has changed, as the applicant’s agent was aware of the need for additional information ahead of the formal request being made).

Noting that the Mitchell Hill planning application will need to go to Planning Committee, an extension of time has been granted until 14 September 2018, based on a September planning committee date. However, similar to the note above, in the event of a delay, a further extension of time will be sought from the applicant accordingly.

7. Terms of reference

This item of the agenda was deferred to the next CLG meeting due to previous agenda items having taken longer than normal. The action to review the Terms of Reference and feedback at the next meeting remains open.

8. AOB

There was no AOB.

9. Date of next meeting

Wednesday 26th September 2018 at 6pm.