Gravel reduction could mean less lorries

Dec 21 2009 By Russell Butt

Councillor Moreton Moore (centre) and fellow gravel protesters

THE NUMBER of gravel lorries on Runnymede roads could drop after Surrey County Council won a reduction in mineral extraction targets.

The county successfully negotiated a reduction of 50,000 tonnes per year in the county's allocation for mining sand and gravel in an effort to protect both the environment and residents.

Runnymede councillors Moreton Moore (Egham Town) and Chris Norman (Chertsey Meads) hailed the decision as a victory for borough residents, many of whom had expressed concerns about sites on the plan earmarked for extraction including traffic and dust pollution.

Professor Moore has been spearheading a campaign to fight an application from Hanson Aggregates to excavate at Milton Park Farm, Egham, which would have around 250 movements from 20-tonne lorries per day. He also warned there could have detrimental effects on the water table and felt ths site was too close to neighbouring Manorcroft School.

He said: "Any reduction in the amount of sand and gravel required from Surrey County is very welcome news for residents and SCC should be congratulated on arguing the case for this reduction.

"The figure has recently been reduced from 1.32 million tonnes per annum to 1.27 mtpa. Huge quantities of minerals have already been extracted from the boroughs of Runnymede and Spelthorne and any further quarrying here is likely to cause unacceptable harm to the environment and to residents."

Mr Norman, who is also a county councillor, said: “North Surrey has most of the best gravel in the country. A main concern with the extraction from Hamm Court Farm on Weybridge Road is that it will require another set of traffic lights and an additional entrance to the site which will play havoc with the traffic. There are no benefits of having the site here whatsoever, it won't bring jobs to the area, it will be just a few men on cranes.”

As part of the Surrey Minerals Plan, the public consultation of which ended on December 18, 13 sites in Runnymede were earmarked for mineral extraction, leading the borough council to raise concerns to the county council over potential environmental harm and increased lorry traffic on already congested roads.

The county council has been fighting for the reduction in the volume of minerals the Government requires it to provide by 2026, arguing that there are not enough locations where minerals can be extracted without causing unacceptable harm, and that supplies would be nearly exhausted before 2026.

The reduction was made by a panel of planning inspectors at an examination in public of the minerals policy in the South East Plan. The panel’s recommendation now goes to the Government for a final decision.