Waste deposit and earthworks at Kingsdown Farm, Longbridge Deverill, Warminster

What was proposed

The application sought to vary an existing condition to extend the time for depositing inert waste and completing earthworks.

“The application being brought before the elected members of the WAPC seeks to vary planning condition No. 2 of PL/2022/01141 to increase the time period for the applicant to deposit inert waste on the site.”

“For completeness sake, planning condition 2 of application PL/2022/01141 reads as follows:”

Officer report

The site

The site is a 10.3-hectare rural agricultural holding with farm buildings, in the Cranborne Chase National Landscape and an International Dark Sky Reserve.

“The site lies within the Cranbourne Chase National Landscape (formally known as the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AoNB)) and is designated as an International Dark Sky Reserve. The site is also in the Salisbury Plain Special Protection Area (SPA) and within the Hampshire River Avon Catchment area.”

Officer report

Local objections

Twenty-one objections cited the site’s long operation, landscape harm, failure to restore the protected landscape, and HGV traffic, noise, emissions and dust.

“The site is a visual impairment to a protected landscape • Focus should be on reinstatement of the landscape • Adverse impact on landscape character/ harmful to protected landscape • Activity is out of keeping with the landscape and for commercial benefit • HGV traffic/ highway issues - noise, emissions, dust…”

Officer report

Who spoke

The agent, applicant and consultant supported the application, while a representative of Cranborne Chase National Landscapes objected.

The vote

A motion to refuse was not seconded and fell; members then voted on a motion to approve with revised conditions.

“A motion to approve the application in line with the officer recommendation, subject to the revised wording proposed by officers for Conditions 2 and 3, was then moved by Councillor Trevor Carbin and seconded by Councillor Andrew Davis.”

“A debate then followed where Members discussed the revisions to Conditi on 3, with clarification being sought on the finalised wording that varied from what was contained in the published agenda papers pursuant to landscaping being delivered in the first available planting season.”

Minutes

The final decision

The committee approved the application, allowing land reprofiling within 3 years and 6 months and requiring plant and machinery removal within a further 12 months.

“The Committee APPROVED the application subject to compliance with the following conditions:”

“The re-profiling of land hereby permitted shall be completed within 3 years and 6 months from the date of this decision. Thereafter and within a period of a further 12 months, all plant and machinery associated solely with the waste importation operations shall be removed from the site.”

Minutes

Landscaping safeguards

The decision required a landscaping scheme within three months, provided appeal safeguards, and required approved planting during the first available planting season.

“The approved Landscaping Scheme shall be carried out during the first available planting and seeding season for each phase. Any trees or plants that form part of the approved Landscaping Scheme which die, are…”

Minutes