On behalf of Sewells Reservoir Construction Limited (SRC), PDE Consulting Limited submitted an application to the Environment Agency to vary an environmental permit which authorises the storage and treatment of wastes at Barking Riverside Recycling Centre, Choats Road, Barking, Essex, RM9 6JR.

Bespoke environmental permit number EPR/HB3109CX was issued to SRC on 02 October 2019 and allows the operation of a physical treatment facility.  Wastes are treated to produce soils, soil substitutes and aggregates.  The recycling facility handles construction waste generated from Barking Riverside development, as well as from other local construction projects, and produces aggregates that are used in the development.  An application was made for a normal variation to add additional non-hazardous waste codes to the permit to expand the range of materials that could be recycled at the Site.

The permit variation was submitted on 27 June 2024 and the varied permit was issued on 27 June 2025.

On behalf of Green Aggregates Limited, PDE Consulting Limited submitted an application to Thurrock Council (TC) for a Part B permit for the operation of an asphalt plant on land off Burnley Road, West Thurrock, Essex, RM20 3ED.  The Part B permit application was submitted to TC on 23 July 2024 and the final permit was issued on 16 May 2025. Bulk aggregates are imported to the site in sheeted road vehicles with additives importing by tanker or in contained sealed vessels. Aggregate storage areas are fitted with dust suppression in the form of water sprays. Bitumen is directly sourced from adjacent facilities.

Bulk aggregates are imported to the site in sheeted road vehicles with additives imported by tanker or in contained sealed vessels. Aggregate storage areas are fitted with dust suppression in the form of water sprays. Bitumen is directly sourced from adjacent facilities.

Reclaimed bituminous road planings are also delivered and stored on site and granulated, screened and recycled into the process.  The storage and treatment of road planings is undertaken in a building in accordance with the requirements of an environmental permit issued by the Environment Agency.

Raw materials are loaded into the roadstone coating plant where the aggregates are coated with bitumen to produce products or mixtures to various specifications, discharged to trucks and delivered off site.

There will be one stack which will have a continuous stack monitor looking at emissions of both gases and particulates.  An automatic alarm will be fitted to ensure that the limits in the permit are complied with.

On behalf of our client Sewells Reservoir Construction Limited (SRC) PDE submitted a planning application to Essex County Council for the installation and use of a replacement sand drying plant together with the erection and use of a building for sand bagging and storage operations on land at Martells Quarry, Slough Lane, Ardleigh, Essex, CO7 7RU.

The adopted Essex Minerals Local Plan (2014) identifies Martells Quarry as the only allocated site for silica sand extraction within Essex. Silica sand deposits are set apart from other sand and gravel deposits owing to their suitability for a range of specialist uses including in water filtration and elite sports.

The planning application was considered by Essex County Council’s Development and Regulation Committee on 23 May 2025 who resolved to grant planning permission. Planning permission was subsequently granted by Essex County Council on 30 May 2025.

Sand drying operations have been undertaken at the Quarry for a number of years and the new drying plant will enable the processing of silica sand through a new state of the art plant. The grant of planning permission is fantastic news for SRC and will ensure that they can maximise the quality of the products which they are offering, supporting the silica sand industry and meeting market demand for specialist sand products.

On behalf of our client Sewells Reservoir Construction Limited (SRC), PDE submitted a planning application to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham for the continued operation of a recycling centre for processing of construction and demolition waste on a temporary basis on land at Barking Riverside, Choats Road, Barking, London, IG11 0YN.

Recycling operations have been taking place at the Site since 2019 performing an essential role in the wider regeneration of Barking Riverside by allowing construction and demolition wastes to be processed and recycled in close proximity to the redevelopment works, with recycled products used to support the redevelopment. The planning application sought to allow for the continuation of existing operations for a further five years (to mid-2030) to facilitate continued support to the regeneration of Barking Riverside.

The planning application for the extension of time was validated by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham on 09 April 2025 and planning permission was granted on 07 July 2025.

On behalf of our client Allen Newport Limited, PDE Consulting Limited recently submitted a planning application to Suffolk County Council for the erection and use of a concrete batching plant and associated infrastructure together with access onto the highway on land at Cavenham Quarry. The application also seeks retrospective permission for the installation of a weighbridge, weighbridge office and lighting column. The application was validated on 05 June 2025.

Concrete is an essential component in the building of new housing and infrastructure and therefore the demand for concrete is not expected to reduce, in fact it is likely to grow as the demand for housing and new infrastructure increases as set out within Government Policy. Should planning permission be granted it will enable Allen Newport Limited to support the local construction industry by generating a supply of concrete to the local area.

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.