Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Glendinning proposing to extend the extraction area of Pigsdon Quarry?

The extension area will provide additional land space to temporarily hold the processing area and stockholding which will free up extraction areas within the consented quarry for deeper levels to be reached there. This will ensure that the existing planning consent can be fully implemented.

By extending the extraction area, further reserves of high specification polished stone value (PSV) gritstone can be utilised and will therefore safeguard the life of the quarry for many years to come.

The quarry is the only worked source of high specification PSV gritstone for use as an aggregate suitable for high skid resistant road surfaces within the southwest of England. Its aggregate is used by asphalt manufacturers throughout Cornwall, Devon and Somerset for road surfacing. Therefore, increasing the longevity of mineral extraction at Pigsdon Quarry is vital to maintaining the sustainable supply of this important aggregate in the southwest of England.

What would happen to Pigsdon Quarry if Glendinning do not obtain planning permission to extend into the two fields to the west?

Glendinning would not be able to fully implement their current permission to extract gritstone to maximum permitted depths due to lack of space for the processing area and stockholding. They would also not be able to release any further high specification minerals.

Without the proposed extension area, the quarry will only be able to operate for approximately 5-6 more years due to this lack of space, which in turn would sterilise important mineral reserves and result in loss of local employment.

If Glendinning obtain planning permission to extend into the two fields to the west, what is the timeframe for operations at Pigsdon Quarry in relation to the extension area?

On the grant of a successful planning permission, extraction within the proposed extension area will take place over six phases, estimated to commence in 2025 and to end in 2083, assuming the current output is maintained and that the site has sufficient reserves for 60 years from now.

Before mineral extraction can take place in the extension area, topsoil will need to be stripped from the extension area and overburden will need to be placed on the three fields to the west. Overburden placement will be carried out on a campaign basis, covering a maximum of 8 weeks, between April and October over a four year period, estimated to be complete by 2029. Extraction of the upper levels of the two extension fields will then commence.

Why does non-saleable shale spoil have to be stored within Pigsdon Quarry?

Since August 2015 there has been an Aggregate Levy imposed on shale sold for commercial exploitation. This has resulted in more void space being required to store shale within the quarry due to the high costs associated with the Levy. The ability to extract the high specification aggregate relies upon void space to receive the shale onsite, the proportion of which is about 40-50% of the mineral deposit.

Is an Environmental Impact Assessment being prepared to support the planning application?

Under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017, the proposed extension to Pigsdon Quarry is considered to be an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development due to the site area and the nature, duration and scale of the proposed works. Therefore, an Environmental Statement (ES) is being prepared to support the planning application. Environmental topics being covered in the ES include landscape and visual, flood risk and water resources, ecology, noise and vibration, the historic environment, climate emissions and vulnerability, and socio-economics.

Can the proposed extension area and change in landform to the three overburden placement fields to the west be seen from the wider landscape?

Pigsdon Quarry is located within a valley where it is partially screened from view by intervening landform. Intervening field boundary hedgebanks, hedge trees and small blocks of woodland within the wider landscape also limit the visibility of the quarry. Within the wider landscape there are very limited direct views of the existing spoil tip and the existing quarry face from publicly accessible areas.

There will be very limited additional visibility of the proposed quarry extension area and the three overburden placement fields from within the wider landscape. Whilst they may be visible from the higher lying areas on ridgelines to the south and southwest of the Site, they appear as distant background elements.

The only direct views from residential properties where the placement of overburden would be apparent would be from Lower Lopthorne Bungalow and possibly from the first-floor windows of Magses, Lower Lopthorne. In all other instances intervening buildings, topography and vegetation are likely to obscure close views of these fields. Once restored back to pasture and hedgebanks reinstated, there would be a minor change to the composition of the view resulting from the topographical changes.

Changes to the quarry face being pushed back into Fields A and B is unlikely to change the character of views, where the quarry face is already visible. That is, once below the current field level and overburden is placed, there is unlikely to be any additional visibility of the quarry face within the wider landscape, when compared to its’ current visibility.

How is the ecology of the site being addressed within the planning application?

Significant consideration has been given to the possible effects of the quarry extension on the ecology of the site and adjacent land. Wildlife and protected species surveys will be completed by the end of the year to determine features of ecological value within and immediately adjacent to the site.

The results of these surveys will be fed into the final Landscape and Ecological Mitigation Strategy plans which will seek to avoid or reduce impacts on wildlife and maintain habitat connectivity around the quarry extension and within the wider surrounding landscape. An Ecological Impact Assessment will also be prepared to support the planning application to assess the impacts the proposed extension may have, if any, on the ecology of the site and adjacent land and provide any mitigation measures if required.

Consultation has taken place with Cornwall Council’s Ecology Officer regarding the proposed scheme, particularly in relation to agreeing the approach to and breadth of ecology surveys.

What mitigation measures will be in place to address any impacts the proposed extension may have on the landscape and ecology of the site?

Landscape and Ecological Mitigation Strategy plans for both operational (at around 20 years into the proposed extension) and final restoration phases will be submitted with the planning application and ‘work in progress’ versions are presented at the consultation event. These show measures taken to avoid or reduce potential impacts that may result from the proposed extension. The mitigation measures include where existing hedges could be translocated, where new hedgerows and woodland could be planted and where ditches and detention basins are required to convey and slow surface water run-off.

A Landscape and Ecology Management Plan, which will include a Biodiversity Management Plan, will be implemented to ensure the biodiversity value of created and retained habitats is maintained in the long-term.

Consultation has taken place with Cornwall Council’s Landscape Officer regarding the proposed scheme, particularly in relation to agreeing viewpoint locations as part of the assessment process.

How will Glendinning address the impacts of climate change, notably increased rainfall, within the design?

A combined Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy is being prepared to support the planning application. Drainage systems will be designed to cater for the 1 in 100 year critical duration event, plus an allowance for climate change. These drainage systems are being designed to cater for the 50% peak rainfall ‘upper end’ allowance for the Tamar Catchment and as required by Cornwall Council as part of policies within their recently adopted Climate Emergency Development Plan Document.

How will Glendinning ensure that there is no impact to the water quality of the Lamberal Water when discharging into it?

Pigsdon Quarry operates a wastewater treatment system using coagulant and flocculant and Siltbuster lamella settlement tanks. Water collected within the quarry and from its spoil tip is pumped to a number of settlement ponds. This water is then treated in the Siltbuster system for the continuous removal and storage of solids suspended in the water. The treated water is only be discharged into the Lamberal Water once it reaches a certain quality. The quarry has an alert system which warns the quarry manager when the water quality is not reached by the system. The Siltbuster system has a cut off facility whereby water will not be discharged to the watercourse when water silt levels are too high.

Consultation has taken place with Cornwall Council’s Sustainable Drainage team regarding this planning application in terms of how they expect surface water to be managed as part of the proposed scheme, which has been taken on board within the design.

Will there be an increase in traffic as a result of the proposed extension to Pigsdon Quarry?

The construction and placement of overburden in fields to the west of the proposed extension area will not require quarry vehicles to use the public highway. The proposed quarry extension will be a continuation of the existing operations at the quarry and will not increase the number of vehicles on the public highway above existing levels.

How will dust be managed from the proposed extension area and the temporary works to place overburden on the adjacent fields?

As no increase to ongoing production levels is planned, there will be no material changes in the number of vehicle movements to or from the quarry. Hence there is expected to be no significant effect on air quality with continued pro-active dust mitigation measures applied by Glendinning.

Fugitive dust emissions during the quarry extension and overburden placement will continue to be controlled as for the existing quarrying operations, by adopting best practice, implemented under the quarry’s Dust Management Plan which will be updated and submitted with the planning application to address the proposed extension and overburden placement.

Typical dust control measures include avoiding dust generating activities when the wind direction could transport dust off site, and dust suppression by water sprays on haul routes and at the processing plant. The intensity of activity such as plant movements and overburden placement can also be adjusted to minimise the risk of adverse dust dispersion if dry and windy conditions occur, with restoration planting as soon as practical following completion of overburden, spoil or topsoil placement in an area.

How will noise be managed from the proposed extension area and the temporary works to place overburden on the adjacent fields?

Noise levels from activities within the quarry extension area will continue to be managed within the quarry’s consented limits. The extension area and the overburden placement fields are closer to a number of residential receptors compared to the consented quarry extraction area. Noise modelling has been prepared to determine the potential noise levels at those receptors from both the extraction of minerals and associated works in the extension area and the placement of overburden on the three fields to the west. The results of the modelling will inform the management of quarry activities and plant movement to ensure the noise levels remain within the quarry’s consented limits.

A Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment is being prepared to support the planning application which will assess the potential noise and vibration impacts to the nearby receptors and provide mitigation measures if required.

Blasting in the existing part of the quarry is well within the limits set by the current planning permission. The blasting will continue to be controlled within the proposed extension area, so the effects are a practical minimum and within authorised levels. A Blast Vibration Report is being prepared to support the planning application.

Cornwall Council’s Environmental Health team have been consulted on the proposal to extend the quarry, particularly in terms of the locations where noise and vibration should be measured as part of the assessments.

What consideration has been given to the historic environment as part of the proposals?

There are no designated heritage assets, such as Listed Buildings or Scheduled Monuments, within the site, or in the near vicinity of the application site. However, the potential for non-designated heritage assets or buried archaeology within the quarry extension and overburden placement areas have been investigated.

The impacts of the proposals on any potential archaeological features within the site have been assessed, including a Geophysical Survey which shows generally low-level results, with some findings requiring further testing through trial trenching as a result of engagement carried out with Cornwall Council’s Historic Environment Planning team. A report will be prepared from the trial trenching and any necessary mitigation measures will be proposed if any are required.

A Heritage Impact Assessment, including a Historic Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, will also be prepared to support the planning application. This will assess the potential effects on heritage assets within or adjacent to the site and on any potential buried archaeological remains, and will outline appropriate mitigation measures if needed.

Will any existing Public Rights of Ways (PRoW) be affected or changed by the proposed extension to the quarry?

There will be no changes or impacts to nearby PRoWs as a result of the proposed extension to the quarry. The surrounding PRoWs are well screened by existing vegetation. Where there are existing views of the quarry from PRoWs, the character of these views will not change as a result of the proposed extension.

Will I be able to make comments on the proposals following this event and once the application is submitted to Cornwall Council?

A feedback form is provided here where you can provide feedback on the proposals. On submission of the planning application to Cornwall Council, there will be a 21 day consultation period once the application has been validated, providing another opportunity for comments to be made on the proposals.

What happens next?

Comments made on the proposals from the consultation event will be analysed and taken into account in the preparation of the planning application. The aim is to submit the planning application, which is currently under preparation, to Cornwall Council in the first quarter of 2024. Cornwall Council will then evaluate the application to decide whether or not to grant planning permission.