Earth-lined slurry lagoon at Land South East Of Townsend Plantation, Southleigh, Colyton

“This application is for retention of an earth-lined slurry lagoon with perimeter bunds that have been seeded to blend with the surrounding sward. A 1.5 m fence with barbed top strands is proposed around the lagoon for stock and public safety.”

“The lagoon forms part of a wider farmed landholding and is used to store slurry for subsequent umbilical application to nearby fields at agronomically appropriate times. The applicant states the scheme responds to Environment Agency (EA) expectations to increase on-farm storage capacity.”

“The site lies within open countryside in the East Devon National Landscape. The lagoon occupies an open arable field (previously sown to maize) immediately adjacent to woodland edges, with access via existing tracks from the west and north.”

“A public bridleway passes through the woodland about 100 metres from the lagoon. While there is a licence to fell the woodland between the bridleway and the lagoon, there is a treed bank adjacent to the lagoon that would be retained.”

“Permission was refused for a slurry store at a nearby location, reference 19/1768/FUL, on the grounds of failure to preserve or enhance the character of the AONB.”

“Application 24/1544/FUL was refused on grounds of its harmful visual impact on the National Landscape due to inadequate landscape mitigation, insufficient evidence that compensatory tree planting could be delivered without ecological harm, and lack of information demonstrating that tree removal and slurry-related air quality impacts would not adversely affect protected species, ancient woodland and the Beer Quarries and Caves SAC.”

“The retrospective slurry lagoon provides additional storage capacity to support the agricultural holding and enables slurry to be applied at agronomically appropriate times, reducing the risk of pollution. Significant weight is attached to the Environment Agency’s inspection and confirmation that the lagoon complies with the relevant statutory pollution control regime, and to the absence of objection from Environmental Health.”

“The siting, form and scale of the lagoon result in limited landscape and visual impacts within the National Landscape. While localised arboricultural harm has occurred, this can be adequately mitigated through a suitably worded landscaping and compensatory planting condition. With that mitigation in place, officers are…”

“Natural England FURTHER INFORMATION REQUIRED TO DETERMINE IMPACTS ON DESIGNATED SITES AND PROTECTED LANDSCAPES”

“Natural England advises that the potential for air quality impacts arising from this development needs to be assessed. Natural England refers your authority to Standing Advice 'Air pollution and development: advice for local authorities. How to assess sector-specific planning applications that could affect air quality on a protected site'. This standing advice is Natural England's formal statutory advice and…”

“Air Quality and Ammonia Emissions Concerns are raised regarding ammonia emissions from an uncovered lagoon, with reference to national policy in the Clean Air Strategy 2019 that requires slurry stores to be covered by 2027. It is argued that large open lagoons are high-risk ammonia sources and could harm nearby ancient woodland and other sensitive receptors. Objectors question whether the authority would require the lagoon to be covered if approved.”

“Scale, Location, Highway Impact and Landscape Harm Objectors consider the lagoon to be disproportionately large and inappropriately sited within the protected landscape (AONB/National Landscape). Concerns include visual impact and landscape harm.”

“Native tree and shrub planting sufficient to compensate for damage to the hedgebank and woodland soils; Details of species, sizes, densities and locations, focused particularly to the north and west of the lagoon; A timetable for implementation and a minimum five-year management and replacement programme.”

“The approved scheme shall be implemented in full during the first available planting season following approval and thereafter maintained. Any trees or other plants which die during this period shall be replaced during the next planting season with specimens of the same size and species. (Reason - To mitigate arboricultural harm and preserve landscape character, in accordance with Policy D3 - Trees and Development Sites of the Adopted East Devon Local Plan 2013-2031.)”

“Proposal: Retrospective application for an earth lined slurry lagoon.”

“RESOLVED: Approved with conditions in accordance with officer recommendation.”