Brightlingsea Town Council (BTC) has objected to a planning application by the operators of Brightlingsea Quarry on “the grounds of public safety” after repeated incidents of mud being left on the main B1019 by trucks leaving the site.
Quarry operator SRC has applied to Essex County Council (ECC) for a year’s extension to existing permissions so that it can continue to work the minerals on the Moverons Lane site and finish restoration work by the end of January 2026.
However, a consultants’ document commissioned by the company submitted with the application suggests that mineral extraction and restoration work – involving filling in the quarries and restoring agriculture and nature – may not be completed until April 2029.
The document says more time may be needed because the company has faced delays in transferring permits and leases from the previous operator, and a “post Covid slowdown in the construction sector which reduced demand for aggregates and availability of waste for restoration”. A map showing how the site may look after restoration can be seen here.
It adds: “To allow time for the remaining mineral extraction and restoration operations to be undertaken it is proposed that the aforementioned conditions be varied so that all plant, machinery, foundation, hard standing, roadway, structure or erection in the nature of plant or machinery used in connection with the development are removed no later than 20 October 2028 and restoration be completed by 20 April 2029.”
At its planning meeting on Tuesday (January 28), BTC councillors voted to object to the application on “the grounds of public safety” because of repeated issues on the road causing, including a period earlier in January when large clumps of mud were deposited, resulting in reports of skidding and a fall by a motorcyclist.
BTC says that there has been unaware of any response from ECC despite repeated complaints and claimed that the county authority had failed to enforce licensing rules on the site regarding the cleanliness of trucks leaving the site .The town council can only comment on applications to the county or district council and has no power to approve or refuse.
The consultants’ document points out that existing permissions allow work “subject to it being demonstrated that the development would not have an unacceptable impact, including cumulative impact with other developments on the safety and capacity of the road network”.
It adds that the latest application “does not seek to alter levels of trading at the site” which “benefits from good access and no issues have been experienced in respect of the current access arrangements”.
