OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING: to be decided - watch this space...
Updates 29th March: Click Here to view/download the Powerpoint presentation (3.5mb) from the meeting in Totnes Civic Hall on Thursday 29th March. Click Here to view the report Economic Impact Assessment of Proposed IBA Processing Plant in Buckfastleigh by Simon Rines & Charlie McConnell
Parish Poll - Buckfastleigh Speaks Well, lets hope that our elected representatives listen to the result of the Parish Poll. In Buckfastleigh 47% of the electorate voted 'No' to the quarry plans. This is more than the whole turn-out in the Devon County Council or Teignbridge District Council elections! The DCC election was won by Mr Stuart Barker, who won the election with 22 % of the electorate voting for him. The Teignbridge election was won by three councillors, Mr Stuart Barker, Mr Charlie Dennis and Mr Philip Vogel, with the highest vote of 20 % of the electorate! Even in the general election only 39 % of the electorate voted for Mr Mel Stride MP. The turnout in the Parish Poll is even more remarkable when you remember you had to turn up and queue outside the Town Hall on a winter evening. Compared to elections, usually held in spring, usually held at two voting stations, which are open all day and which allow postal voting which increases turnout by approximately 10 %. It is clear that 1367 voters, who are 47% of the electorate, do not want the Quarry plans approved. If you want to be re-elected you would be very brave to ignore this! References
26th February: We have written to Devon County Council to object on the grounds of traffic (the letter is here). Buckfastleigh Community Forum met with DCC officers representing planning, environmental health, environmental noise, highways agency and a representative of MVV/Gilpin. The meeting lasted nearly 3 hours during which time it was explained how there were no grounds for DCC to object to the application. The Highways representative did not consider adding 250 HGV's a day to the roads in Buckfastleigh would have an impact on safety. The impact on cyclists and pedestrians was not considered to be significant, as they could avoid using the road if they were concerned. The Highways representative said that as HGV drivers were professional drivers they would follow the Highway Code. The Highways representative said that setting a speed limit that was too slow for road conditions would lead to drivers breaking the Highway Code and cause problems (work) for enforcement. The Noise assessment averages out the extra noise over 18 hours, this reduces the extra noise levels to an average which is below a level where DCC would object. In this way it could also be assessed that Formula 1 cars, jet aircraft and a cannon don't increase the average noise very much, as long as it only happens for a few minutes per hour. The standard method used by DCC does not take into account the effect of nuisance. The impact on Amenity was considered not enough for DCC to object to the application. Our minutes of the meeting are available here 25th February: Click here for More Questions and Answers... 24th February: Following requests for clarification on traffic data here are some important notes: All 177 of the planning application documents can be accessed at: http://www.devon.gov.uk/planpage_3_3919 A few people have queried the accuracy of the question posed on posters "Up to 250 HGV Lorries per day in Buckfastleigh?" The Planning application is asking for an increase of an average of 86 extra HGVs per day. However, this pales when compared to an extra 200 HGV movements in and out of the Quarry every day for 3 weeks at a time. Hidden away is the statement, "Information from existing similar IBA processing operations provides examples... in a 3 week period... this would equate to 100 loads a day (200 one way movements) for 15 weekdays." 200 HGV movements does not include: (1) Delivery of IBA and the empty lorry leaving; (2) delivery waste for processing and empty lorries leaving; and (3) empty lorry arriving, picking up recycled waste and leaving. So when you add these in you could expect 250 HGV's a day for THREE WEEKS at a time! This could of course potentially be at the height of tourist season in summer. If that wasn't bad enough this letter from MVV/Gilpin to the Highways Agency, outlines the maximum capacity of 400 HGV movements a day in and out of Whitecleave Quarry. References: http://www.devon.gov.uk/dcc3242_011.pdf
15th February: New information, including (the long fought for) Health Impact Assessment will be made available for a new formal public consultation within a few weeks. Comments will be accepted until the application goes to vote.
Trial blasting will take place in the quarry today, 15th February starting at 1pm. This has been very controversial, and we are still not happy that this has been forced through by the applicant (apparently due to planning time constraints) with scant regard for public concerns. Although we accept that trial blasting is unlikely to have significant impacts on residents, primary concerns relate to the protection of the South Hams SAC. New evidence suggests to us that significant harm may have already been inflicted on the SAC during operations on site in the last few years, as apparently only 3 Greater Horseshoe Bats were found hibernating in Potter's Wood Caves.
Yesterday we received a copy of the report into our complaint against the ROMP conditions. Findings of the report have been accepted in full by the senior council officer overseeing the complaint. Contrary to the report's conclusion we believe the evidence presented largely vindicates the community's complaint. Importantly, there was never any written agreement that waste material could be brought to site, in direct contravention of ROMP restrictions. We shall be responding to this report after further investigation. Any input into the comments would be appreciated.
8th February: We received an initial response from DCC in relation to our complaint against the planning authority in relation to current planning permissions at Whitecleave Quarry. Our response.
1st February: We sent a comprehensive letter of comments and objections to the Devonport incinerator Environmental Permit Application yesterday (crucial to help stop hazardous waste coming to Buckfastleigh). This was sent to the Board and Executive of the Environment Agency. The document is here (Appendix 1, Appendix 2, Appendix 3, Appendix 4 ). The Permit consultation period ends on Friday 3rd January. Here is a crib-sheet (PDF version) to cut-and-paste as necessary into an email for YOU to also send comments to the Environment Agency at: psc@environment-agency.gov.uk
25th January: A Parish Poll looks like it is on the cards. A unanimous show of hands at the recent town hall meeting suggested it was worth trying. Initial target date for meeting to formally call for the poll and word the question is Tuesday 7th February. Stay tuned.
10th January: The Chief Executive of
Devon County Council has confirmed that following our letter, there WILL
be an investigation as requested.
9th January: Letter to the Chief Executive of Devon County Council seeking a formal, public investigation into the procedure behind the ROMP permissions at Whitecleave Quarry and how waste processing has been allowed.
5th January: The Health Impact Assessment that we campaigned hard for is due to be published and open for public consultation any day now.
31st October: We had a meeting in town with Mel Stride MP last week. He also went round knocking on people's doors to hear their views. He made it clear that Devon County Council and Teignbridge District Council are very aware of the strength of feeling in the community and he will continue to help deliver this message. Expect an article in this week's Mid Devon Advertiser.
The Health Impact Assessment is currently ongoing. Here is a letter we wrote last week to summarise residents' concerns about the road system.
Here is a copy of a letter written to DEFRA and the Treasury in September seeking an investigation into the role of the Environment Agency in regulating Incinerator Bottom Ash.
13th October: (1) Buckfastleigh Town Council unanimously voted yesterday to strongly object to the proposals. Their comprehensive comments sent to Devon County Council are here. (2) The groundwork for a Health Impact Assessment is now being undertaken.
26th September: New deadline for making further comments and objections on the proposed Devonport incinerator is 2nd October. A quick review of this document recently submitted by MVV gives lots of opportunity to once again refute their misleading statements (such as this one "No misleading and confusing statements have been deliberately made in the application"). Please submit comments to planningconsents@plymouth.gov.uk "Ref: planning application 11/00750/FUL the construction of an Energy from Waste plant in Her Majesty’s Naval Base, Devonport, Plymouth." Alternatively register at PeopleAction.org.uk.
19th September: Document sent to DCC commenting and objecting specifically in relation to Chapter 7 of the Environmental Statement on Ecology. There are some key points in here that we believe should alone see the application rejected.
1st September: Document sent to DCC comments and objections in relation to applicant's statement that the draft Localism Bill and National Policy Planning Framework are material planning considerations.
31st August: Document sent to DCC stating objections to the application based on the Waste Local Plan.
22nd August: Document sent to Devon County Council asking for further information and clarification from the applicants - this hopefully highlights concerns over the development which we feel were being lost or ignored.
12th August: We have asked Devon County Council to request a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) as part of the application.
We will try and keep regular updates on our blog as well as a Facebook page so people can keep up with events as they are happening.
After our recent meeting with Devon County Council in relation to the existing conditions of the ROMP at the site, please see the four-page letter addressed to Mel Stride MP from Dave Black, Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment Services at Devon County Council.
The exhibition boards from the town Hall meeting on 7th July with all the information about proposals for the quarry can be found here. The presentation on our waste problem and alternatives to incineration can be found here.
Go and register on our Forum to have your say on town issues.
Date of last page update: Tue February 28, 2012 22:46
www.community.buckfastleigh.org
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