Agenda and minutes

The Forum had before it the procedure note and guidance for members on the operation of Forum meetings.

The Forum resolved:-

to note the procedure note and guidance for members.

The Forum had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 17 March, 2016 for approval.

The Forum resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

Planning Reference – 151407

The documents associated with this application can be found at –

http://planning.aberdeencity.gov.uk/PlanningDetail.asp?ref=151407

Planning Officer -  Paul Williamson

The Forum had before it a report by Planning and Sustainable Development on submission of a Proposal of Application Notice by Leiths (Scotland) Limited for a major development including continuation of existing quarry and proposed extension, deepening and storage of overburden material at North Lasts Quarry, Peterculter, Aberdeen.

The Forum heard from George Stewart, Johnson Poole and Bloomer (Scotland), acting on behalf of the applicant.  Mr Stewart explained that a pre-application consultation event was presently being held at Culter Village Hall, Peterculter and would finish at 7.00pm tonight. The leaflet circulated to members would be available at the public event and would be inviting comments from those in attendance. Three local community councils had been notified of the event and it was advertised in the Aberdeen Citizen newspaper.

Mr Stewart provided an overview on previous applications which had been granted since 1976, with the most recent permission being granted in 2015 for a two hectare extension to open out the working area to ensure a continuation of quarrying and to allow the applicant time to prepare a major application within which a longer term development plan for the quarry could be established. He outlined the current proposals which would seek planning permission to quarry approximately 4 million tonnes of rock in total over a period of 30 years. In doing so, the quarry would then fall under the terms of section 74 of the Town and County Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and a periodic review would be required after 15 years. In addition Mr Stewart explained that the overburden which overlies the rock reserve contains a quantity of sand which the applicant intends to process for sale.

Mr Stewart referred to the Aberdeen Local Development Plan adopted in 2012 which identified North Lasts Quarry as a site suitable for ongoing minerals extraction as it was considered to be a least sensitive area offering economically workable mineral deposits.

In response to member’s questions, Mr Stewart advised that there were a total of ten people employed at the Quarry site and an additional five were also employed as drivers. He indicated that approximately 260,000 tonnes of recoverable sand could be processed at the site for six to ten years should planning permission be granted. In terms of the traffic which was generated by quarrying operations, the recovery of sand would increase vehicle movements from four to five or six in total per hour. Sand washing would be undertaken within the quarry site which may be used for the production of the Western Peripheral Route. Finally Mr Stewart indicated that the frequency of blasting at the quarry is ultimately one or two per month and that is currently monitored in conjunction with BP and controlled by a planning condition.

Mr Paul Williamson, the case officer, then addressed the Forum, providing more detail regarding the planning aspects of the application and responded to questions from members.  Mr Williamson explained that the proposal sought to extend the depth of the quarry, to a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.