Public to have new say on gravel plan (From Daily Echo)
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Public to have new say on gravel plan
12:00pm Monday 22nd October 2012 in News
Public to have new say on gravel plan
The public is set to have another say on plans to extract millions of tonnes of minerals in Hampshire over the next 20 years.
A number of changes have been made to Hampshire County Council’s Minerals and Waste Plan, after it was inspected by an independent planning inspector.
But campaigners against gravel extraction in Hamble and digging up a 700,000 sq m of land at Purple Haze, near Ringwood, were disappointed by the amendments – as both sites remained in the plan.
Protesters had spoken at a two-week hearing in Winchester in June when planning inspector Andrew Freeman has examined the plan for “soundness”.
Concerns were raised about damage to the environment, noise, dust, loss of green space and extra lorry movement.
Speaking after the sites remained in the plan following the hearing, Councillor Keith House, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat Group on the county council, said including Hamble and Purple Haze amounted to “environmental destruction”.
Around 1.6million tonnes of aggregates would be extracted across the region every year, according to the proposals.
Changes made to the plan include moving the area earmarked for the supply of brick-making clay at Michelmersh Brickworks to include School House Field and Hillside Field.
County Council Environment Boss Councillor Mel Kendall said: “With a document of this significance and complexity, some changes for improvement are to be expected following the public examination. “However the vast majority of the changes included in the schedule are relatively minor. “People need to be clear, however, that the consultation is only seeking comments on the identified proposed changes and not the entirety of the whole of the draft plan."
The new consultation runs to Monday, December 17 and responses will again be considered by the planning inspector.
To comment on the changes, email planning.policy@hants.gov.uk or call 01962 846591.
MisterGrimsdale says...
12:35pm Mon 22 Oct 12