Plans have been submitted for a site near Lichfield to be used to provide sand and gravel for the construction of HS2.

The proposals are for land alongside Pyford Brook near Alrewas and Fradley.

The site would see CEMEX UK begin extraction of the raw materials to support the high speed rail project.

In a statement accompanying the planning application, the company said:

“The development is proposed to supply the HS2 infrastructure project with 500,000 cubic metres of ready-mix concrete over a period of four years.

“The sand and gravel reserve is estimated at 1.4million tonnes, with some of this being surplus material in order to allow for commercial flexibility and material not suitable for the ready-mix.

“Most of the material would go out as ready-mix concrete, with any material not suitable going out as aggregate.”

“The development would be accessed via a new haul road adjoining the A513.

“The plant site would compromise a processing plant, a concrete plant with cement silos, loading shovels and gas/oil storage.

“There would also be a weigh bridge and office, welfare facilities and parking.”

Planning statement
The site earmarked for the new quarry
The site earmarked for the new quarry

The company said the site would be returned to a “neutral grassland” state after the four-year project had been completed.

“Although the mineral activities are only a temporary use of the land, it is inevitable that as a result of its quarrying activities, the characteristics of the land are changed.

“In carrying out its business operations, the applicant has demonstrated a positive attitude towards the environment.

“Restoration schemes typically result in the creation of additional wildlife habitats, the enhancement of existing ones and improvements to the landscape.

“Where appropriate, they also present the potential to create recreational opportunities.

“In both biodiversity and landscape terms, the applicant’s quarrying activities result in significant environmental benefits.”

Planning statement

“The need for the site now outweighs the concerns”

Two previous applications to use the land for quarrying in 1987 and 1994 have been refused.

A statement from CEMEX UK said:

“There have been no known applications on the site since that time and it is currently in use for agriculture.

“It is considered that, as a substantial amount of time has passed since these applications were determined, the factors in favour of the application, including the need for the site now outweighs the concerns.”

Planning statement

Full details of the proposal can be seen on Staffordshire County Council’s planning website.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.

9 Comments
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Roy Appleby
3 years ago

Can we have a detailed plan of the route the HGVs will take to access and exit the area to feed the HS2 site?
http://www.l-a-g.co.uk

Lucy
3 years ago

A very one sided report! The local residents would also like their say especially as a lot of people have not been consulted about the proposals even though the company “report” letters have been sent out about the proposals.

Philip Allso
3 years ago

You have to admire the persistence of developers. Applications have been turned down twice and nothing can have changed since, but here they are again. Does NO have another meaning I am unaware of?
I suppose they only have to get it through once and that part of the local environment is destroyed forever. Yes they say they will restore the landscape…. but they would say that wouldn’t they?

Steve
3 years ago

@Roy. Yes. They will take any route they fancy.

Janice Roberts
3 years ago

Janice – Alrewas suffered severe unprecedented flooding this winter it had not seen for many years. This was caused by the land east of A38 being gravelled and instead of filling in the areas they were allowed to become pools some l4 plus where there were none in the past, resulting in the flood water having no where to be absorbed into ground. Make the gravel companies revert the pools into the food growing fields they were and avoid Alrewas being flooded.

Stephen Cox
3 years ago

Sadly this would just be the start IF they get permission. Once here it will not be just for four years, hard to see the applicant going to all the expense of building a concrete plant and then taking it down after just 4 years use. They will put in subsequent planning applications to quarry the land nearer to Alrewas after this and continue up to the A38. Some people think another nature reserve will be good. In isolation this may be the case, but we have many of these already down the A38 corridor . What we are loosing is good quality agricultural land grow food for an increasing population. So when the applicant says they will restore the current ‘best and most useful agricultural land’ to some points and basic grassland, this is not restoring it back to what it was but replacing it with something of a lower quality and standard. The basic grassland will take 10 year of management to bring it back ups to the standard it currently is, but not at the applicants expense, but the farmers.
So if people in Alrewas think this is down the road and will not affect them, then when the 170 lorries a day a rumbling past Alrewas it might concern them, or when subsequent applications are put in to quarry the land from the proposed site across the field to Alrewas, that might concern them. So to avoid these concerns just object to this application, there are still sufficient reserves in existing quarries to supply this with out creating another scar across the Alrewas countryside.

Lesley
3 years ago

This is the end of a long term strategy to open up this area for mineral abstraction. It was Cemex who promoted the question of this area way back in 2016. Just need to check out the records.

The chap above is right it will be a disaster . Fradley Junction will be wrecked. All you will see and hear along the tow-path from Alrewas to Fradley and beyond if they get the other tow-path they are after is this quarry and the cement factory. It ignores HS2 restraints and runs 24/7. It will ruin businesses and cost jobs along the canal, blight the area and it will never go away because of how minerals planning policy works. If you saw the area of search this opens up you would understand. The tens of thousands of people who come to enjoy the peace of the canal will go somewhere that doesn’t look like the moon. Any doubts check out the Tarmac extension from the A38 Alrewas exit.

HS2 says this is a third party application and they don’t have anything to do with it. So, all these poor people whose businesses and properties are being wrecked will get no compensation. If HS2 made the acquisition themselves then they would. So before you say it’s HS2 ask them yourself.

The local community is furious how this has been handled. Don’t know where the info came from but there’s a whole other side to this.