Third time lucky as developers submit plans to infill and restore former quarry in Shropshire town
Fresh plans have been submitted to fill in and restore a Shropshire quarry after two previous proposals were turned down.
The new plans for Farley Quarry near Much Wenlock will see around 50,000 tonnes of waste would be used to fill in the quarry, which is in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
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It is the third time that Cartwrights Waste Disposal Services, who purchased the site, has submitted plans.
Two previous applications were rejected by the planning committee despite being recommended for approval by planning officers with councillors raising concerns about noise, dust and impact on the AONB.
The quarry has a long history of limestone extraction, with permission for such operations first being granted in 1948. Operations ceased several decades ago, and the site was left in an unrestored state.
The developers say the new application will see the phased infilling and restoration of the former quarry void – comprising of the tipping of appropriate CD&E waste (inert non-hazardous soil, rocks and, stones etc”
They also plan to install and operate a CD&E waste recycling facility – capable of processing up to 50,000 tonnes of waste per annum.
In their planning statement, Cartwrights said it is proposed that up to 110,000 tonnes per annum of CD&E waste would be accepted at the site and 50,000 tonnes would be processed through the recycling facility each year, which they say represents a 27 per cent decrease from the previous planning application.
They added the recycling facility is expected to have a recycling rate of around 70%, meaning that it will produce around 35,000 tonnes of aggregate each year.
The planning statement added that the development proposed through this planning application represents a "refined approach to the restoration of the site which seeks to address the council's previous concerns".
The planning application, which was submitted last month, is currently under public consultation until Friday, April 3.
The planning application can be viewed at Shropshire Council’s planning portal (planning reference 26/00743/EIA).
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