Protect Virginia Water - Gravel extraction
GRAVEL - Latest
First of all, many thanks to those that have asked for and distributed forms. Also many thanks to Café Blue, Harrington’s, Lloyds Pharmacy, the Post Office Trumps Green, ChristChurch for making them available. After complaining to the Council we have managed to get the deadline extended to the 30th of June, and the council have sent us additional forms. Remember, every single member of your household can fill out a response. Some 800 forms have been placed with Manorcroft School in Egham, for parents and children to fill out.
We will make forms available at Carnival Capers on 24 June at the Virginia Water Community Association stand. If you can spare any time to help, it would be much appreciated so please let us know. There will also be additional forms placed in ChristChurch, but if you would like some sooner either call the number below or reply by email.
Please pass this message on to your friends and neighbours and urge them to reply to both the Library and Gravel consultations.
Many thanks and kind regards
Constantin Schwarz
01344 841327
EARLIER ARTICLE/INFORMATION FOLLOWS...
Gravel extraction is an ongoing problem in this area. Surrey County Council have just annouced the latest phase of consultation on mineral sites in our area. 3 sites are identified as category 1 sites - meaning they are for imminent development. these sites are...
| White Hall Farm, off Stroude Road |
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| Milton Park Farm, opposite Great Fosters Hotel |
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| Muck Hatch Lane also known as 40 acre field and is just north of Thorpe Village. |
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Further reading
The following PDF documents open in a new window and may be of help to you ....
SCC MineralsaMPFarm.pdf
SCC MineralsaWFarm.pdf
SCC MineralsThorpe.pdf
Draft Minerals Plan Preferred Option consultation
Surrey County Council's draft minerals plan was approved by the Executive Committee on 14 March 2006. This marks the start of the next phase of the consultation process, which will see the final adoption of a minerals plan for the county in 2008, mainly for the extraction of sand and gravel in the Thames basin and soft sand from sites across central Surrey.
The formal consultation on the preferred option ran for six weeks ending on 9 June, with a series of exhibitions across the county and a special questionnaire online and on paper.
Surrey County Council's previous minerals plan was published in 1993. There have been major changes in thinking since then, especially about more efficient use of materials, reduction of waste and increases in recycling - and these principles apply to the use of minerals as to everything else. They are reflected in the minerals core strategy document that guides the thinking behind the draft plan.
The county started the process of consultation with the community through a series of workshops and public meetings over the last three years. The concerns and issues raised by local people have been used in drawing up the draft plan.
David Munro, Surrey's Executive Member for Environment, said "These various stages of consultation and planning, which will eventually lead to the adoption of a new minerals plan for the county, are designed to help us work with our communities to reach as close a consensus as possible on minerals extraction. All applications will be subject to a formal planning application process, and we will be as open and transparent as possible. We should point out that we have gone for the absolute minimum of sites to meet our obligations as apportioned by the government, and have even argued for this apportionment to be reduced, but so far without success."
Timing is outlined as follows:
Daft Minerals Plan Review, Preferred Options - consultation 28 April - 9 June
Proposed Final Plan (Submission Document), guided by feedback from consultation - summer 2007, and a further six week consultation
Proposed Final Plan, with representations received from the consultation, will form the basis of discussion at the Examination in Public spring 2008, with an independent inspector
Publication of the Minerals Plan and its adoption - late 2008, incorporating consultation feedback and the inspector's recommendations
Brief overview of the documents:
The Core Strategy
This sets out the proposed strategy for future mineral development with objectives to:
reduce demand for minerals
safeguard the supply of minerals
minimise adverse impacts from mineral development on communities and the environment
minimise adverse impacts from the transportation of minerals
restore mineral workings to the highest standards.
Development Control Policies
These policies will guide how decisions are made on the specific planning applications for future mineral development. The document applies to all types of mineral development including proposals for gravel pits, brickworks and rail aggregate depots.
Primary Aggregates
This draft document puts forward possible sites in Surrey for future sand and gravel extraction. Surrey must meet government targets for future production in the county.
Mineral Site Restoration
This Supplementary Planning Document is in response to concerns raised by communities about the future restoration of land used for mineral extraction. It will set out ways that sites can be restored. Through consultation with local communities and other interested stakeholders, this document will be developed to produce more detailed site-specific restoration guidance, in parallel with the preparation of the rest of the minerals plan.
Background documents
Additional background information for stakeholders is being produced and will be available as part of the consultation. SCC is also currently preparing a summary leaflet and a geological background paper. All these documents are available to download through this link: www.surreycc.gov.uk/mineralsplan
For further information on the consultation please contact Jill Sanders, local publicity officer, 020 8541 7985, jill.sanders@surreycc.gov.uk
Copyright of all external material used on this site acknowleded.
