Five-year extension approved for quarry overlooking national park

Elgan Hearn – Local democracy reporter

Extra time has been granted to quarry minerals at a site overlooking Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.

The planning application by Gryphonn Quarries limited for Trefil Quarry was approved by Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Planning Committee.

It followed the company’s successful application to also extend the quarry by an extra 22.2 hectares.

Historic

The new application was to tweak historic planning permission by giving the company an extra five years and continue quarrying until December 31, 2029.

This application includes changes to the restoration scheme for the site once work has stopped there.

Regional mineral and waste planning manager, Hugh Towns told councillors that unlike the previous application neither Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority nor environment body, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had lodged objections against this proposal.

Mr Towns explained that the extension was needed as quarrying the minerals at the site had been slower “than anticipated.”

Material 

Mr Towns said: “The quarry has not been worked out to the extent it had been envisaged by the end of the planning permission which is December 31, 2024.

“It has five to six years’ worth of material left and this is essentially additional time to complete works already approved.”

The new application comes with changes to the restoration strategy for the site which references the different phases of work over a 25 year period.

Mr Towns explained again that the quarry’s closure would impact jobs and the economic growth “aspirations of Blaenau Gwent” in terms of housing.

Mr Towns: “There are no landscape and visual issues from the existing quarry. and that’s accepted by Bannau Brycheiniog NPA.”

“There are no ecology issues as its already disturbed ground, highways issues, noise, blasting, dust, drainage, cultural heritage, essentially there will be no change to the current situation.”

“This is an interim measure to address the short term need.”

Due to this he recommended approval and stressed as site is not in Mynydd Llangynidr SSSI – there is no need for the Welsh Government to be notified.

Committee chairwoman Cllr Lisa Winnett asked whether the first planning which extended the site would see an increase in vehicle movements?

Mr Towns said: “It would be the same.”

Extension

He explained that for a 12 to 18 month period the company would be working to open up the extension from the existing quarry.

Mr Towns said: “Production would come from the existing site and as it is exhausted the extension site would come on stream.

“They will not be working at the same time.”

Cllr Wayne Hodgins pointed out that the Covid-19 pandemic and the social distancing restrictions that were in place during the crisis had hampered the quarrying work.

Cllr Hodgins said: “Really they have not had the full magnitude of the time that was originally allotted, I fully support it.”

Cllr Peter Baldwin said that he was “reassured” when he met company representatives during the site visit.

Cllr Baldwin said: “I thought and felt they manage it well and respect people around it as well.

“They want to carry on keeping people employed and provide a product that’s needed.”

The committee went on to a vote and unanimously supported the application.