Lea Castle Farm Quarry

Opened the debate

I am concerned about the strength of feeling in my constituency regarding the proposed Lea Castle quarry, which will excavate 105 acres over a 10-year period. The site is located between two villages and within a mile of several schools, affecting local communities with noise, dust pollution, and highway impacts. Additionally, there are concerns about potential future extensions and changes to planning permissions that could further impact the area.

Government Response

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Paisley. The Chamber lacks quantity but not quality while the hon. Member for Wyre Forest (Mark Garnier) sits here. The Minister agrees that there is much upon which they can agree, including the importance of building new homes appropriate and sensitive to their location and surroundings. Determining planning applications is a matter, in the first instance, for the local planning authority to carefully consider and decide in accordance with proper planning and legal requirements. All planning applications have to be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The environmental impact assessment (EIA) ensures that decisions are made in full knowledge of likely environmental effects. The Government's view is that the planning system should be genuinely plan-led, providing a positive vision for each area and ensuring there is a sufficient supply of minerals to provide infrastructure, buildings, energy, and goods. Mineral planning authorities are charged with providing for the extraction of mineral resources of local and national importance. They are required to designate specific sites, preferred areas or areas for search to meet local and wider mineral needs while ensuring that operations do not have unacceptable adverse consequences on the environment or human health. Unlike other developments, minerals can be worked only where they are found, creating unique challenges for local areas. The Minister understands the concerns of local communities about the proposed Lea Castle Farm quarry and any future extensions will be subject to further planning permission judged on their merits at the time. All steps of the planning system are supported by a public consultation process through which people can consider the proposals and applications. Worcestershire County Council submitted its mineral local plan for examination to the Secretary of State on 17 December 2019, with an independent planning inspector appointed to assess the soundness and legal compliance of the plan. The examination hearings are due to open on Tuesday 5 May and the second week of hearings will be held in the week commencing 1 June if necessary. The Planning Inspectorate's procedural practice encourages Members to participate in examination hearing sessions, and the Government also encourage Members to involve themselves in this way. It is for that reason that there are clear and defined measures by which development proposals and their potential impact on residents, local communities, and the environment are assessed. Of course, the NPPF includes a requirement for local plans to be accompanied by a sustainability appraisal allowing the potential environmental, economic, and social impacts of the proposals to be taken into account systematically.