The Environment Agency has issued a bespoke permit to Sewells Reservoir Construction Limited for the operation of a waste treatment facility located at Ipswich Docks.

The application was submitted on 03 November 2023 and duly made as of 11 March 2024. The final permit was issued on 03 April 2025 and the overall determination period was 17 months.

The facility is authorised to accept up to 100,000 tonnes a year of imported wastes. The permit allows the treatment of a range of construction and demolition wastes, via sorting, separation, screening, crushing and blending, to produce soils, soil substitutes and aggregate. The waste facility will be operated in accordance with approved dust and noise management plans.

PDE Consulting Limited recently submitted a planning application on behalf of FM Conway Limited to North Northamptonshire Council for the erection and operation of an asphalt plant and road planings recycling facility, ancillary facilities and access on land at Neilson Rail Sidings, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, NN8 4BH. The planning application was validated on 29 October 2024. The planning submission included an Environmental Statement covering flood risk, transport, landscape and visual impact, noise, air quality and odour, lighting, ecology, arboriculture and ground conditions.

We are delighted to announce that Planning Permission was granted by North Northamptonshire Council on 18 February 2025.

The grant of permission is fantastic news for FM Conway Limited as it allows them to develop an asphalt plant and road planings recycling facility. The proposed development allows for road planings to be recycled and reused in the asphalt plant, which presents an important example of the circular economy, reducing the need to extract primary resources.

The Proposed Development will create a highly sustainable form of development through the proposals to import aggregates to the site via rail using the existing rail sidings. The ability to transfer aggregates from road to rail will result in a direct sustainability benefit in HGV road miles savings and associated CO₂ emission reductions.

In terms of annual production the asphalt plant is forecast to produce around 400,000 tonnes per annum of asphalt, which will be supported by the road planings recycling facility which is expected to receive 200,000 tonnes of planings per annum for recycling.

The Proposed Development will provide full time employment to 20 employees. Third party contractors shall be employed for the importation of road planings and export of asphalt products as well as additional needs required to assist in the operation of the Proposed Development. It is estimated that this shall provide employment for around a further 50 indirect employees.

The proposed development will also result in a 14.42% net gain in post-intervention habitat units and 10.27% in watercourse units which exceeds the minimum 10% BNG requirement. The habitats to be created as a result of the permitted development include enhanced mixed scrub, ruderal / ephemeral vegetation and biodiverse green roofs.

PDE Consulting Limited recently submitted two planning applications to Suffolk County Council on behalf of Aggmax Transport Limited. This included an application for a northern extension to Lawn Farm Quarry for the extraction, processing, sale and distribution of sand and gravel and subsequent restoration using inert materials. In addition, a Section 73 application was submitted to enable the proposed extension to be integrated into the current working scheme for the existing Quarry.

Suffolk County Council’s Development and Regulation Committee resolved to grant planning permission for both applications on 04 February 2025 with the decision notices issued on 06 February 2025.

The grant of planning permission is fantastic news for Aggmax Transport Limited as it enables the continuation of mineral extraction at the Site, supporting jobs at the Quarry and the local construction industry. The development will provide significant benefits for the area including continued employment, and the supply of high quality materials to the local construction industry, meeting the identified need for sand and gravel within Suffolk. Upon completion of the proposed mineral extraction the land will be restored back to an agricultural afteruse through the use of inert materials with ecological enhancement which will complement the surrounding landscape.

On behalf of Aggmax Transport Limited, PDE Consulting Limited submitted an application to the Environment Agency, to vary their environmental permit for Lawn Farm Quarry, Wetherden.

The original standard rules permit was issued in August 2013 to allow the operation of a recycling facility. It was subsequently varied in September 2014 to add inert landfilling and became a bespoke permit. The latest variation application was to add a soils washing plant to the permitted activities.

The application was submitted on 18 July 2022.  Due to lengthy delays in the Environment Agency’s allocation process it took until January 2024 for the application to be allocated and duly made.  The varied permit was issued on 10 February 2025.

The granting of this permit will push material up the waste hierarchy by allowing the Operator to produce more consistent quality recycled aggregate products for the local construction market. This is a sustainable alternative to the use of primary aggregate products.

PDE Consulting Limited recently submitted a planning application to Essex County Council on behalf of Sewells Reservoir Construction Limited (SRC) to enable an extension of time to complete mineral extraction and restoration activities at Brightlingsea Quarry in Essex.

SRC took over control of operations on the western half of Brightlingsea Quarry in 2022 following a change in lease arrangements. Over the past three years mineral extraction has continued together with progressive infilling which will see the extracted quarry void restored with inert materials and the land restored back to agriculture with biodiversity enhancements.

The need for an extension of time has arisen as a consequence of a number of factors including delays in restoration and mineral extraction due to the time taken to transfer permits from the previous operator to SRC and for lease arrangements to be completed in addition to a post COVID slowdown in the construction sector which reduced the demand for aggregates and the availability of waste for restoration.

The planning application for the extension of time was validated by Essex County Council on 24 December 2024.

Should planning permission be granted it will enable SRC to continue mineral extraction and infilling activities at the site in order to deliver the site’s final restoration scheme.

PDE Consulting Limited recently prepared a planning application on behalf of FM Conway Limited for the erection and operation of an asphalt plant and road planings recycling facility, ancillary facilities and access on land at Neilson Rail Sidings, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, NN8 4BH.

The application was submitted to North Northamptonshire Council and validated on 29 October 2024.

Should planning permission be granted, the application will allow for the installation of an asphalt plant and road planings recycling facility. The proposed development will allow for road planings to be recycled and reused in the asphalt plant, which presents an important example of the circular economy where the waste output of one process can be used as a material component to another; reducing the need to extract primary resources. The ability for the plant to be able to make use of higher quantities of recycled planings significantly reduces the Applicant’s demand on virgin aggregates.

The Proposed Development will create a highly sustainable form of development through the proposals to import aggregates to the site via rail using the existing rail sidings. The ability to transfer aggregates from road to rail will result in a direct sustainability benefit in HGV road miles savings and associated CO2 emission reductions.

In terms of annual production the asphalt plant is forecast to produce around 400,000 tonnes of asphalt, which will be supported by the road planings recycling facility which is expected to receive 200,000 tonnes of planings per annum for recycling.

The Proposed Development will provide full time employment to 20 employees throughout the duration of the development, if approved. Third party contractors shall also be employed to import the road planings, aggregates and additives and to export the recycled and manufactured products. It is estimated that this shall provide employment for around a further 50 indirect employees.

On behalf of Land Logical Norlands Lane Limited, a Waste Recovery Plan (WRP) was submitted to the Environment Agency (EA) on 13 November 2023 for the importation of 600,000 m3 of inert wastes to allow essential engineering works to be undertaken at Norlands Lane closed landfill site. The importation and placement of inert wastes will serve to correct the current inherent problems associated with the waste mass and provide optimal management of systems at the site, the optimal collection of landfill gas which is used to create green energy and to minimise uncontrolled emissions of methane. It will also allow essential improvements to surface water drainage, together with the provision of a long-term sustainable landform with associated biodiversity enhancements. On 15 March 2024, the EA responded in a letter to advise that they agreed in principal that the proposed waste operation constitutes waste recovery.

On 01 July 2024 an application was submitted to the EA to vary the permit to add a waste recovery activity. In the interests of protecting human health and the environment, a request was made to the EA for the application to be expedited for determination, so that the works to be undertaken to rectify the issues with the site can start as soon as possible, which was agreed by them. The application was duly made as of 30 September 2024.

On behalf of FM Conway Limited, PDE submitted a planning application to East Sussex County Council for a height extension to the existing asphalt plant stack at FM Conway’s asphalt plant at North Quay Road, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 0AB.

The application sought to increase the height of the asphalt plant stack by 20 metres. The increased stack height forms part of a wider package of measures which have been implemented on Site to target an improvement to local air quality and a reduction in dust and odour emissions from the Site.

A resolution to grant planning permission was made at East Sussex County Council’s Planning Committee on 14 August 2024.

The grant of planning permission is great news for FM Conway as well as local residents who will see a reduction in odour from the plant following the construction of the increased stack height.

PDE Consulting Limited submitted a planning application on behalf of Green Aggregates Limited for the erection and operation of an asphalt plant and road planings recycling facility, ancillary facilities and access on land off Burnley Road, West Thurrock, Essex.

Planning permission was granted by Thurrock Council on 05 July 2024.

The grant of planning permission is fantastic news for Green Aggregates Limited, as it will allow for the installation of an eco-friendly asphalt plant which has been designed to support the Applicant’s sustainability initiatives. The asphalt plant has been designed to be able to produce both traditional asphalt and warm asphalt. The ability to produce warm asphalt allows the Applicant to be able to use more recycled road planings within the plant which will replace approximately 75% of virgin aggregate usually required, which significantly reduces the Applicant’s demand on virgin aggregates.

In terms of annual production the asphalt plant will produce around 250,000 tonnes per annum of asphalt, which will be supported by the road planings recycling facility which is expected to receive 220,000 tonnes of planings per annum for recycling.

In addition to the eco friendly asphalt plant, the whole development has been designed to incorporate a number of sustainability initiatives to support the Applicant’s own carbon reduction plans whilst also preserving and enhancing the natural environment. The sustainability initiatives consist of the following:

• Active and passive vehicle electric charging points;
• A cycle shelter to encourage alternative transport options;
• The installation of green / brown roofs and grasscrete areas to provide biodiversity enhancement;
• The creation of a mosaic of open flower-rich habitats of high value within the development area footprint and within a dedicated Ecological Buffer Zone.
• The installation of roof mounted PV panels for the solar generation of electricity; and
• High efficiency external LED lighting.

The Proposed Development will provide direct employment for ten full time employees at the Site and will also employ third party contractors which shall provide employment for around a further 175 indirect employees.

On behalf of Land Logical Norlands Lane Limited PDE submitted a planning application to Surrey County Council to allow for the importation of soils to allow for improvements to gas management and surface water drainage, together with the provision of a long-term sustainable landform with associated biodiversity enhancements on land at Norlands Lane Landfill, Egham, Surrey.

The planning application was validated by Surrey County Council on 17 May 2024.

Norlands Lane Landfill has a long history associated with mineral extraction and subsequent landfilling dating back to the early part of the 20th Century. In 1977 a waste disposal licence was issued allowing for the disposal of household, commercial and industrial wastes, though landfilling at the Site is known to date back to 1949. Landfilling at the Site continued up until September 2003, after which the Site was closed and restored.

In the years following restoration the Site has been impacted by significant differential settlement which has resulted in the formation of an undulating surface profile which has given rise to issues relating to the management of landfill gas and surface water. This undulating profile is inconsistent with the original restoration objectives for the Site. These issues combined with ageing landfill gas management infrastructure means that there is now a need to undertake engineering works on the Site to ensure its long term sustainability.

Should planning permission be granted it will allow Land Logical to import 600,000 m3 of soils to the Site over a period of six years. This will allow the correction of differential settlement and the upgrade of the landfill gas management infrastructure which will ensure a greater quantity of landfill gas can be collected and converted to electricity for supply to the National Grid. As part of the proposed development the Site’s surface water drainage system will be upgraded to ensure the sustainable management of water into the future. Following the completion of soil placement operations, the Site will be restored with a number of biodiversity enhancements to deliver a net gain in biodiversity.