Residents have put forward a final plea that plans for a quarry on the former Hatfield Aerodrome site should by refused, at the end of a two-week Planning Inquiry.

Brett Aggregates is seeking permission to extract up to eight million tonnes of sand and gravel from the former aerodrome site – between Smallford and Ellenbrook – over a 32-year period.

After Brett’s appeal against the county council’s refusal to grant planning permission, the controversial plans have been scrutinised by a Planning Inquiry.

On the final day on the inquiry, on Friday (November 29) the Colney Heath Group told Planning Inspector Melvyn Middleton that the quarry would cause “significant and irreversible harm”.

In their closing statement, the group suggested that the application failed to meet the necessary standards for noise mitigation, environmental sustainability and planning policies.

The group – specifically formed to represent residents and campaigners at the inquiry – suggested that the risks to health, amenity and the local ecosystem outweighed any potential benefits.

They urged the inspector to recommend refusal “to safeguard the environment, the community and the future sustainability of Hertfordshire”.

Closing statements were also made by representatives of the applicants Brett Aggregates and by Hertfordshire County Council.

The county council had refused planning permission for the application earlier this year, but withdrew their eight reasons for refusal in advance of the inquiry.

Following the conclusion of the inquiry, Planning Inspector Melvyn Middleton will now make a recommendation to the Secretary of State, who will determine whether or not the quarry can go ahead.

On the final day of the two-week inquiry, the closing statement from the Colney Health Group suggested that the application should be refused on the eight reasons for refusal.

Those initial grounds for refusal had included the Green Belt, heritage, residential amenity, landscape character, biodiversity, public access, the highway and groundwater.

In Brett’s closing statement, Richard Kimblin KC spoke of the common ground between the company and the county council that permission be granted.

He pointed to policy that there should be a sufficient supply of minerals to provide infrastructure – suggesting that the county has a “declining” ‘landbank’, said to be “less than seven years”.

He also cited the inclusion of the former aerodrome site in the Hertfordshire Minerals Local Plan, suggesting: “It is exactly where the council wants to see minerals worked.”

He said the company had addressed the points raised in an earlier appeal, when an unsuccessful application was made to quarry on the site, and suggested that the reasons for refusal by councillors were “driven by local residents rather than professional advice”.

With regard to the location in the Green Belt, he said that minerals needed to be worked were they are found.

 

In the statement Mr Kimblin accepted that the character and appearance of the site would change – but added that this was an inevitable consequence and intended outcome of the Minerals Local Plan.

He said that due to the proposal for phased working, not all of the site would be affected at once.

During the inquiry concerns had been raised about the bromate plume, amid fears that quarrying could impact.

In response, Mr Kimblin pointed to evidence that suggested that the bromate was “even further away” from the site than had previously been understood.

The Planning Inquiry  was held between Tuesday, November 19 and Friday, November 29.

The bulk of the hearing – which included a visit to the site – comprised of a series of round table discussions on topics that included the need for sand and gravel extraction, the Green Belt, the water environment and highway safety.

The Colney Heath Group began their closing statement to the Planning Inquiry by expressing “heartfelt thanks” to residents who attended the inquiry and contributed to the process.