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Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment

(2014 & 2015 data)

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Suffolk Local Aggregates Assessment, January 2017

Suffolk County Council Page 1

Contact

Graham Gunby Senior Policy Officer: Minerals & Waste Policy

Planning & Development Section Resource Management Suffolk County Council

8 Russell Road Ipswich

Suffolk IP1 2BX

Tel: 01473 264807 E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.suffolk.gov.uk

For more information about our minerals and waste planning service go to: http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/environment-and-transport/planning-and-buildings/

Cover photograph acknowledgements:

1. Gt Blakenham Energy from Waste Facility, courtesy of SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd, and;

2. Cavenham Quarry, with permission from Allen Newport Ltd.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/

http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/environment-and-transport/planning-and-buildings/



Contents

1. Executive summary

2. Introduction

3. The minerals industry in Suffolk

4. Sales of sand and gravel 1995 – 2015

5. Comparison of sales with apportionments

6. Location of current sand & gravel workings in Suffolk

7. Suffolk’s landbank of permitted mineral reserves

8. Imports and exports from 2014 Collation

9. Crushed rock imports

10. Assessment of other potential sources of supply

Marine dredged and marine borne aggregates

Recycled and secondary aggregates

Asphalt and concrete batching plants

11. Looking to the future

12. Conclusions



List of Figures

Figure 1 Simplified geological map of Suffolk

Figure 2 National environmental designations in Suffolk

Figure 3 Annual sales of sand & gravel in Suffolk 1995 – 2015

Figure 4 Sales and apportionment 1995 – 2015

Figure 5 Map of current sand & gravel workings in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015

Figure 6 Map of existing rail heads capable of handling aggregates

Figure 7 Map of wharves handling marine dredged and/or marine borne aggregates

Figure 8 Map of recycled aggregates handling facilities

Figure 9 Map of asphalt and concrete batching plants in Suffolk

Figure 10 Sales, apportionment and 10-year average sales for Suffolk 1995-2015

Figure 11 Trends & correlations of annual sales of sand and gravel (mts) and annual house

completions



List of Tables

Table 1 Sales of sand & gravel in Suffolk by end use 2014

Table 2 Location of primary aggregate sites in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015

Table 3 Sand & gravel land bank in Suffolk based on various output scenarios as at 31 December

2014

Table 4 Sand & gravel land bank in Suffolk based on various output scenarios as at 31 December

2015

Table 5 Origin and percentage of overall consumption of sand and gravel provided by imports to

Suffolk in 2014

Table 6 Quantity and destination of sand & gravel exports from Suffolk 2014

Table 7 List of rail facilities capable of handling aggregates

Table 8 Quantity and origin of crushed rock imports to Suffolk 2014

Table 9 List of wharves capable of handling marine dredged and marine borne aggregates

Table 10 List of recycled aggregates sites in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015

Table 11 Asphalt batching plant facilities in Suffolk

Table 12 List of concrete batching plants in Suffolk

Table 13 Sites allocated in current Minerals Site Allocations Development Plan

Document adopted September 2009 and for which planning permission has not been

granted as at 31 December 2014

Table 14 Sites allocated in current Minerals Site Allocation Development Plan Document adopted

September 2009 and for which planning permission has not been granted as at 31

December 2015

Table 15 Comparison of planned provision against current apportionment and 10 year average sales

as of 31 December 2014

Table16 Comparison of planned provision against current apportionment and 10 year average sales

as of 31 December 2015

Table 17 Provision of sand and gravel to 2036 based on the 10 year average sales (as of 31

December 2014)

Table 18 Provision of sand and gravel to 2036 based on the 10 year average sales (as of 31

December 2015)

Table 19 Housing trajectories

Table 20 Housing completions



1. Executive summary 1.1 Unusually this Local Aggregates Assessment (LAA) covers two years (2014 and 2015)

due to Government funding problems delaying the consideration of LAAs by the East

of England Aggregates Working Party (EEAWP).

1.2 Section 4 discusses the sales of sand and gravel by end use. In 2014 there was a

total of 1 million tonnes of land won and marine dredged sand & gravel sold. Marine

dredged sand and gravel made up only 84,000 tonnes of this total. Land won sand

and gravel sales made up the remaining 916,000 tonnes.

1.3 Of the land won sand, 386,000 tonnes was sold for concrete and 141,000 tonnes for

mortar. Of the land won gravel, 204,000 tonnes was sold for concrete and 185,000

tonnes for miscellaneous uses. No land won sand and gravel was used in asphalt

production.

1.4 Section 5 compares sales with apportionments and indicates that in twenty years,

sales have never exceeded the apportionment and have generally been significantly

lower.

1.5 Section 6 shows the location of current sand and gravel workings in Suffolk. There

are18 in total of which 14 are active and 4 are inactive.

1.6 Section 7 indicates that Suffolk’s landbank of permitted mineral reserves on the 31

December 2015, stood at 13.2 million tonnes, which is equal to 8.1 years based on the

sub-regional apportionment of 1.62 million tonnes per annum. When based upon the

average of the last ten years sales of 1.2 million tonnes per annum, the landbank is 11

years.

1.7 Section 8 discusses the imports and exports of sand and gravel from 2014 national

collation. Norfolk & Essex each contributed between 10 and 20 % of total

consumption in Suffolk, followed by Cambridgeshire & Lincolnshire who each

contributed between 1 and 10% of total consumption in Suffolk.

1.8 Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire each imported between 1 and 10% of sand

and gravel consumed from Suffolk.

1.9 Suffolk has no reserves of hard rock and Section 9 discusses the importation of

crushed rock taken from the 2014 national collation. At present within Suffolk there

are 4 safeguarded railheads which provide facilities for the importation of primarily

crushed rock. Leicestershire provided between 90 – 100 % of crushed rock consumed

in Suffolk. Conwy, Powys and Cambridgeshire each provided between 1- 10% of

crushed rocked consumed in Suffolk.



1.10 Other sources of supply are discussed in Section 10. Suffolk has 3 safeguarded

wharves for the landing of marine dredged aggregates or marine borne aggregates.

The Crown Estates licenced 9.2 million tonnes of marine dredged sand and gravel in

2015 although only 4.4 million tonnes of marine dredged sand and gravel was

removed. Of the 4.4 million tonnes dredged only 199,421 tonnes of marine dredged

sand and gravel was landed in Suffolk

1.11 Other sources of supply include recycled materials and there are 28 aggregates

recycling plants in Suffolk including the Gt Blakenham Energy from Waste facility

which converts bottom ash into aggregates.

1.12 Value added plants provide an outlet for the sale of aggregates and there are 19

concrete batching plants and 8 asphalt plants in Suffolk.

1.13 In Section 11 which considers future provision it is noted that there are 8 sand and

gravel sites in the existing minerals plan yet to be permitted. It is also noted that

housing completions were 28.5% lower than Local Plan projections. It is assumed that

marine dredged aggregates, recycled aggregates and crushed rock supplies will also

continue. It is also considered that there is enough provision to maintain the landbank

until the replacement Suffolk Minerals & Waste Plan is adopted in 2018.

1.14 The current appointment figure is based upon the revised national guidelines that

cover the period to 2020. At the time of writing, the National Co-ordinating Group is

not scheduled to meet in the foreseeable future. As Mineral Planning Authorities in the

East of England are preparing or have prepared Plans with end dates significantly

after 2020, the weight which can be given to the guidelines is likely to reduce

considerably in future. Therefore, in the likely absence of updated guidelines

emerging, the default position is for the provision for sand and gravel in plans to be

based upon the methodology contained in national policy and guidance. (National

Planning Policy Framework paragraph 145 and Planning Practice Guidance

paragraphs 61-71).



2. Introduction

2.1. This Local Aggregates Assessment has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which indicates that:

“Mineral Planning Authorities (MPA) should plan for a steady and adequate supply of aggregates by: Preparing an annual Local Aggregates Assessment (LAA)…based on a rolling average of 10 years sales data and other relevant local information, and an assessment of all supply options (including marine dredged, secondary and recycled sources).”

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/6077/2116950.pdf

2.2. In accordance with the NPPF, the County Council has also consulted with, and sought advice from, the East of England Aggregates Working Party.

2.3. Further advice on the preparation of LAAs can be found on the Planning Practice

Guidance website.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/minerals#Local-Aggregate-Assessments 2.4. The LAA should be read in conjunction with the adopted minerals planning policy which

is contained in the following documents:

Minerals Core Strategy Development Plan Document adopted September 2008

Minerals Sites Allocation Development Plan Document adopted September 2009:

2.5. The LAA will inform the need for, timing and content of the replacement of the County Council’s Minerals Development Plan Documents (DPDs). This is discussed in more detail in Section 11 of this document.

https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/planning-waste-and-environment/planning-applications/minerals-and-waste-policy/

2.6. As a coastal county, and one with a history of marine dredged and marine borne

aggregate landings at some of its ports, the County Council has also had regard to the UK Marine Policy Statement, the East Inshore and East Offshore Marine Plans, the nascent South East Marine Plan and advice from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/69322/pb3654-marine-policy-statement-110316.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/312496/east-plan.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/south-east-marine-plan



https://www.gov.uk/guidance/minerals#Local-Aggregate-Assessments







https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/south-east-marine-plan



3. The minerals industry in Suffolk

3.1. Sand & gravel are the main minerals worked in Suffolk. Small amounts of chalk for agricultural and industrial purposes are also extracted.

3.2. Suffolk imports hard rock primarily by rail from outside the region (mainly from the East Midlands) with rail facilities at Gazeley, Barham, Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds.

3.3. Marine dredged and marine borne aggregates are mainly imported via Ipswich docks.

Wharf space is also available at Lowestoft although no material is currently being imported through this port.

3.4. Figure 1, below shows a simplified geological map of Suffolk showing the main

aggregates resource areas. Traditionally sand and gravel has been extracted from the Gipping, Lark, Blyth and Waveney river valleys and to the east of Ipswich. As these river valleys (terrace deposits) have been worked through, more recently, workings have opened up in areas exploiting more extensive glacial sands and gravels.

3.5. Large parts of Suffolk are covered by international, national, regional and local

environmental designations. In particular, large parts of the coast are within the Suffolk Coast & Heaths or Dedham Vale Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and large parts of the east and west of the County are designated as Special Protection Areas or Special Areas of Conservation.

3.6. Proposals for mineral working in these areas will need to have regard to the National

Planning Policy Framework and the Development Plan. Figure 2 shows the main statutory environmental designations within Suffolk.



FIGURE 1: Simplified geological map of Suffolk



FIGURE 2: National environmental designations in Suffolk



4. Sales of sand and gravel 1995 – 2015

4.1. Sales figures for the period 1995 – 2015 are set out in graphical form in Figure 3 below. It is noted that sales still have not recovered to pre-recession levels that existed prior to 2008. Table 1 breaks down the sales into end use for 2014.

FIGURE 3: Annual sales of sand & gravel in Suffolk 1995 – 2015

Sources: Suffolk Annual Monitoring.

TABLE 1: Sales of sand & gravel in Suffolk by end use 2014 (Thousand Tonnes)

Sand Gravel Other

sand & gravel for fill

Total Marine dredged

Total Land won Building sand Concreting

sand

For asphalt

For use in mortar

For asphalt

Concrete aggregates

Other screened & graded gravels

- 141 386 - 204 185 - 1000 84 916

Sources: 1) Business Monitor PA1007 “Mineral extraction in Great Britain 2014” published by DCLG March 2016. Note: Figures include marine dredged material, and;

2) Marine Aggregates, The Crown Estates Licences, Summary of Statistics 2014.

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Annual sales of sand and gravel in Suffolk 1995 -2015



5. Comparison of sales with apportionments

5.1. As part of the Managed Aggregate Supply System and its engagement through the aggregate working parities, each MPA has been required to plan for an apportionment of mineral extraction. The apportionment figure, which has been agreed through the Aggregates Working Party, has changed over time in line with national guidelines for aggregates provision.

5.2. Although Suffolk County Council has always planned to meet its apportionment, actual

sales have never exceeded the apportionment. Set out graphically below in Figure 4 are the actual sales figures for Suffolk since 1995 and the respective agreed apportionment.

5.3. The Adopted Site Allocations Development Plan Document makes provision for this

level of supply by allocating sufficient sites which, when added to permitted reserves, ensures adequate supply of aggregates over the plan period.

5.4. Since adoption of the Core Strategy, the national guidelines have been slightly revised

and the required apportionment for Suffolk has been reduced slightly to 1.62 mts per annum.

FIGURE 4: Sales (blue) and apportionment (red) 1995 – 2015

Source: Suffolk County Council Annual Monitoring Report, 1 April 2014 – 31 March 2015.

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Sales & apportionment 1995 - 2015



6. Location of current sand and gravel workings in Suffolk

6.1. There are currently 18 sand & gravel workings in Suffolk. Of these 14 are active: 4 are

inactive i.e. they are not currently being worked but could recommence operations without the need for any further development consent. There are no dormant aggregate sites in Suffolk i.e. sites which would need further development consents to recommence operations. The locations of current sand & gravel workings in Suffolk are shown in Figure 5 and in tabular form in Table 2.

TABLE 2: Location of primary aggregates sites in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015

Site

Number Site Name Location Current Operator

1 Cavenham Quarry Cavenham Allen Newport Ltd

2 Shrubland Quarry Coddenham Brett Aggregates Ltd

3 Sandy Lane Quarry Barham Brett Aggregates Ltd

4 Rands Hall Pit Layham Brett Aggregates Ltd

5 Tattingstone Pit Bentley Shotley Holdings Ltd

6 Waldringfield Quarry Waldringfield Brett Aggregates Ltd

7 Wenhaston Pit Wenhaston Bardo (Midlands) Ltd

8 Wangford Quarry Wangford Cemex UK Ltd

9 Henham Quarry Henham The Lyndon Pallet Group

10 Flixton Quarry Flixton Cemex UK Ltd

11 Worlington Quarry Worlington Frimstone Ltd

12 Pannington Hall Quarry

Wherstead Brett Aggregates Ltd

13 Gallows Hill Quarry Barking Lafarge Tarmac

14 Blood Hill Quarry Bramford J. T. Few Ltd

15 Redhouse Farm Quarry

Bucklesham Lafarge Tarmac

16 Peyton Hall Quarry Hadleigh Buffalo Crow Ltd

17 Lawn Farm Quarry Wetherden Aggmax Ltd

18 North Farm Barnham -



FIGURE 5: Map of current sand & gravel workings in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015



7. Suffolk’s landbank of permitted mineral reserves

7.1. The NPPF states that MPA’s should use “land banks of aggregate mineral reserves principally as an indicator of the security of supply of aggregate minerals supply, and to indicate the additional provision that needs to be made for new aggregate extraction and alternative supplies in minerals plans” (paragraph 145).

7.2. It recommends, “…making provision for the maintenance of land banks of at least 7

years for sand & gravel and at least 10 years for crushed rock whilst ensuring that the capacity of operations to supply a wide range of materials is not compromised……”

7.3. Suffolk contains no hard rock mineral resources and therefore only seeks to maintain a

landbank for sand & gravel.

7.4. Suffolk’s land bank of permitted mineral reserves as at 31 December 2014 7.5. At 31 December 2014, there were 13.2 million tonnes (mts) of permitted reserves in

Suffolk. This is equivalent to 8.1 years annual production based on the most recent apportionment of 1.62 mts per annum.

7.6. For comparison purposes, Table 3 below shows the current land bank based on.

a) The apportionment contained in the current Minerals Core Strategy (1.73 mts) b) The revised apportionment based on the latest national guidelines for aggregate

provision (1.62 mts) c) Actual average annual sales over the past 10 years (1.39 mts). d) Actual average sales over the past 3 year (1.046 mts)

Table 3: Sand & gravel land bank in Suffolk based on various output scenario as at 31 December 2014

Method of assessing current landbank Output (MTs)

Permitted reserves as at

31/12/2014

Landbank (years)

Apportionment as set out in existing Minerals Core Strategy

1.73 13.2 7.6

Revised apportionment based on latest national guidelines for aggregates provision

1.62 13.2 8.1

Average annual sales over past 10 years 1.39 13.2 9.5


Source: Suffolk County Council Annual Monitoring



7.7. Suffolk’s land bank of permitted mineral reserves as at 31 December 2015

7.8. At 31 December 2015, there were 13.2 million tonnes (mts) of permitted reserves in Suffolk. This is equivalent to 8.1 years annual production based on the most recent apportionment of

1.62 mts per annum. (The figures are the same as 2014 as sales have been replaced by a new permission of equivalent tonnage).

7.9. For comparison purposes, Table 4 below shows the current land bank based on.

a) The apportionment contained in the current Minerals Core Strategy (1.73 mts) b) The revised apportionment based on the latest national guidelines for aggregate

provision (1.62 mts) c) Actual average annual sales over the past 10 years (1.2 mts). d) Actual average sales over the past 3 year (0.98 mts)

Table 4: Sand & gravel land bank in Suffolk based on various output scenarios as at 31 December 2015

Method of assessing current landbank Output (MTs)

Permitted reserves as at

31/12/2015

Landbank (years)

Apportionment as set out in existing Minerals Core Strategy

1.73 13.2 7.6

Revised apportionment based on latest national guidelines for aggregates provision

1.62 13.2 8.1




7.10. When measured against any of the output scenario above Suffolk currently has sufficient permitted reserves of sand & gravel to maintain a seven years land bank.



8. Imports & exports from 2014 collation

8.1. Suffolk is a relatively large county and is relatively remote from large centres of population and hence from areas of large demand for aggregates. Sand & gravel is a high bulk, low value commodity and, generally, it is not transported far by road because transport costs become disproportionately large.

8.2. However, Suffolk does import and export sand and gravel. The most recent data on this

has been taken from the 2014 British Geological Survey Collation of the 4-yearly Aggregates Monitoring Survey. This indicates that Suffolk exported sand & gravel to other parts of the East of England Region and also imported sand & gravel from the region (and in very small quantities from outside the region). For commentary on hard rock and marine dredged imports see later sections.

8.3. This is not surprising. Firstly, many of Suffolk’s aggregate resources are relatively close

to county boundaries e.g. the Waveney valley, the Gipping valley and the western end of the Lark valley. Similarly, some of Suffolk’s larger settlements are located at the periphery of the County where they will attract aggregate imports from other adjacent counties, e.g. Lowestoft, Newmarket, Brandon, Haverhill, Mildenhall, Sudbury and even Ipswich, which is relatively close to mineral working sites in north Essex.

8.4. In 2014, 50-60% of the sand & gravel consumed in Suffolk (915,000 tonnes) was

produced in Suffolk (including marine dredged). Table 5 below shows the origin of the imported material as a percentage of the total consumption figure for sand and gravel.

Table 5: Origin and percentage of overall consumption of sand and gravel provided by imports to Suffolk in 2014

Administrative area of origin of sand & gravel

imports to Suffolk

Proportion of sand and gravel consumed in Suffolk provided by imports

Volume of sand & gravel imported to Suffolk (Tonnes)

Essex 10-20% 91,500-183,000

Norfolk 10-20% 91,500-183,000

Cambridgeshire 1-10% 9,150-91,500

Lincolnshire 1-10% 9,150-91,500

Peterborough <1% <9,150

Central Bedfordshire <1% <9,150

Milton Keynes <1% <9,150

Greater London East <1% <9,150

Leicestershire <1% <9,150

Source: British Geological Survey and “Collation of the results of the 2014 aggregate minerals survey

for England & Wales” .



8.5. Data for exports from Suffolk is not available in the detailed form for imports but gross data is available from the 2014 Collation and is set out in Table 6 below. In 2014, all of Suffolk’s exports where to other MPA’s within the East of England region.

Table 6: Quantity and destination of sand & gravel exports from Suffolk in 2014

Destination of sand & gravel exports from

Suffolk

Proportion of sand and gravel consumed provided by imports from Suffolk

Volume of sand & gravel imported from Suffolk

(Tonnes)

Norfolk 1-10% 13,410 - 134,100

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough

1-10% 20,630 - 206,300

Hertfordshire 1-10% 11,460 – 114,600

Essex, Southend & Thurrock

<1% <43,290

Source: British Geological Survey and “Collation of the results of the 2014 aggregate minerals survey for England & Wales”.



9. Crushed rock imports

9.1 Suffolk has no indigenous hard rock suitable for aggregate use. It therefore relies on importation of such materials. Most of this material is imported by rail. There are four rail heads within the County that can import crushed rock, located at Barham, west of Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds,Gazeley, situated to the east of Newmarket and West Bank Terminal, Ipswich, these are listed in Table 7 below.

Table 7: List of rail facilities capable of handling aggregates

Site Number

Location Site Operating Company

1 Gazeley Gazeley Tarmac

2 Barham Broomfield Pit Tarmac

3 Bury St Edmunds Tayfen Road Tarmac

4 West Bank Terminal Ipswich Brett Aggregates Ltd

Figure 6 shows the location of existing railheads capable of handling aggregates.



FIGURE 6: Map of existing rail heads capable of handling aggregates



9.2 Information about volumes of material imported through these railheads is commercially

confidential. However, the 2014 Annual Collation indicates that Suffolk imported 395,000 tonnes of crushed rock during that year.

9.3 Table 8 below shows the origin of this material by percentage.

Table 8: Quantity and origin of crushed rock imports to Suffolk in 2014

Administrative area of origin of crushed rock imported to

Suffolk

Proportion of total imports of crushed

rock to Suffolk

Volume of crushed rock imported to Suffolk

(Tonnes)

Leicestershire 90-100% 355,500 – 395,000

Conwy 1-10% 3,950 – 39,500

Powys 1-10% 3,950 – 39,500

Cambridgeshire 1-10% 3,950 – 39,500

Norfolk <1% <3,950

Derbyshire <1% <3,950

Peak District National Park <1% <3,950

Shropshire <1% <3,950

Northumberland National Park <1% <3,950

North Yorkshire <1% <3,950

North Somerset <1% <3,950

Somerset <1% <3,950

Source: British Geological Survey and “Collation of the results of the 2014 aggregate minerals survey for England & Wales”.



10. Assessment of other potential sources of supply

10.1. Marine dredged and marine borne aggregates

10.2. Extensive resources of sand & gravel are to be found in the North Sea and Thames Estuary. These resources are mainly owned by the Crown Estate and extraction is licensed by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).

10.3. The East Inshore and East Offshore Marine Plans, which cover the area from the town

of Felixstowe in the South to Flamborough Head in the North, from mean high water to the edge of UK territorial waters, came into force in April 2014. These Plans, which were produced by the Marine Management Organisation, are relevant to all bodies which make licencing or authorisation decisions affecting the marine area.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/312496/east-

plan.pdf 10.4. For an indication of the extent and quality of the mineral resources in the East Coast

area see “The Mineral Resources of the east Inshore and East Offshore Marine Plan Areas, Southern North Sea” published by the BGS, 2011.

Source: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/507770/ 10.5. The East Coast region has 13 production licences, operated by CEMEX UK Marine Ltd,

Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd, Lafarge Tarmac Marine Ltd (Tarmac Marine Ltd as of August 2015) and Volker Dredging Ltd for both sand and gravel, principally for use in the construction industry.

10.6. More recently published material from the Crown Estate Commissioners indicates that

in the calendar year 2015 the East Coast Dredging Area was licensed to permit removal of 9.2 million tonnes (8.47 million tonnes in 2014) of marine aggregates. Total removal for 2015 for the East Coast was 4.4 million tonnes (4.72 million tonnes in 2014). However only 119,421 tonnes of this was landed on the east coast, all of which was recorded by the Crown Estates as being landed at Ipswich.

Source: Marine Aggregates, The Crown Estate Licences, Summary of Statistics 2015. http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/media/502184/ei-marine-aggregate-statistics-2015.pdf 10.7. Most of the material removed from the East Coast Dredging Area is either exported to

the near continent or taken to the Thames Estuary to serve Greater London. 10.8. There are safeguarded wharves in Ipswich and Lowestoft, which have the capacity to

handle marine dredged (and marine borne) aggregate. Currently marine dredged aggregate and marine borne material can be handled at Ipswich at the West Bank terminal on Ipswich Docks with provision for marine borne material to be landed on the East Bank alongside a recently constructed asphalt plant. These are listed in Table 9 below.



http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/507770/

http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/media/502184/ei-marine-aggregate-statistics-2015.pdf



Table 9: List of wharves capable of handling marine dredged and marine borne aggregate

Site Number

Location Site Operator or owner

1 Ipswich West Bank Terminal Brett Aggregates and Port Authority

2 Ipswich East Bank Terminal Tarmac and Port Authority

3 Lowestoft North Quay and Hamilton Dock

Port Authority

10.9. A map showing the location of wharves in Suffolk is shown in Figure 7 below. The

Minerals Core Strategy contains a policy which seeks to safeguard wharves which are capable of receiving marine dredged or marine borne aggregates (Policy 5).

10.10. Despite the large marine aggregate resources present off the coast of Suffolk and the

fact that Suffolk has facilities to land such material it is not County Council policy to seek to increase reliance on marine dredged aggregates in order to reduce the amount of land won aggregate it should make provision for.

10.11. The decision whether or not to import marine dredged aggregate into Suffolk is

primarily one for the market to determine. By definition, marine won aggregates can be transported greater distances and in greater quantities than road borne material and the destination of this material can be more readily changed to respond to market opportunities. Given the relatively small amount of marine dredged aggregate currently landed in Suffolk and the even smaller amount of such material that is consumed in the County it is not considered appropriate to seek to rely more heavily on marine dredge or borne aggregate in the future.

10.12 There is a number of nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIP) planned for

Suffolk including the possibility of construction of twin nuclear reactors at Sizewell. The County Council will seek to maximise the potential for the use of marine dredged and sea borne aggregate for the construction of this development.



FIGURE 7: Map of wharves handling marine dredged and/or marine borne aggregates



10.13. Recycled and secondary aggregates

10.14. The NPPF indicates that in preparing Local Plans, local planning authorities should

“so far as practicable, take account of the contribution that substitute or secondary

and recycled materials and minerals waste would make to the supply of materials, before considering extraction of primary materials, whilst aiming to source minerals supplies indigenously;”

10.15. The Energy from Waste plant at Great Blakenham to handles all of Suffolk’s

residual municipal waste and an element of residual Commercial & Industrial waste. A by-product of this process is bottom ash, which is destined for use as aggregate. The capacity of the EfW plant is 269,000 tonnes, which is estimated to produce around 60,000 tonnes of bottom ash per annum.

10.16. There are a number of permitted aggregates recycling facilities in Suffolk. These

are mainly located on existing mineral sites. A number of waste recycling or waste transfer stations also generate quantities of recycled aggregates.

10.17. Table 10 below identifies permitted aggregate recycling facilities in Suffolk. The

location of these sites is shown on Figure 8. 10.18. In addition to these sites, there are a number of mobile operators who provide

crushing and screening equipment on development sites. It has not proved possible to obtain reliable statistics about the volume of recycled aggregates that are obtained from these mobile plants, especially as much of the material generated is re used in situ.

10.19. The scale of such activity will reflect the level of general construction activity

(although from time to time there will be major demolition projects coming forward which will significantly enhance the volume of recycled material produced. This was the case a few years ago when major development took place on the Ipswich waterfront).



FIGURE 8: Map of recycled aggregate handling facilities



TABLE 10: List of recycled aggregates sites in Suffolk as at 31 December 2015

Site Number

Site name Location Current Operator

1 Broomfield Pit Barham Tarmac

2 Blood Hill Quarry Bramford J.T Few Ltd

3 Marston’s Pit Cavenham Middleton Aggregates

4 Chilton Grove Works Chilton Wiles Construction Ltd

5 Chilton Airfield Chilton T K Weavers Ltd

6 Shrubland Quarry Coddenham Brett Aggregates Ltd

7 Balloon Barn Farm Culford Culford Waste

8 Ticehurst Farm Drinkstone Ticehurst Gravels Ltd

9 Benacre Road Transfer Station

Ellough Regional Waste Recycling

10 Ellough Industrial Estate Ellough S J Lake

11 Airfield Industrial Estate Eye Anglian Skips Ltd

12 Park Farm Quarry Flixton Cemex UK Ltd

13 Hollow Road Farm Fornham St Martin Shotley Holdings

14 Hollow Road Farm Fornham St Martin Steve Lumley Planings Ltd

15 Gisleham Pipe & Brick Works

Gisleham E E Green & Son Ltd

16 Maltings Farm Great Blakenham J T Few Ltd

17 Wildmere Lane Holywell Row, Mildenhall

A & S Topsoils Ltd

18 The Folly Quarry Ingham T.J & W. M. Cardy

19 Causeway Tip Lakenheath Sutton Services

20 Harpers Hill Farm Nayland T D & A M Bugg

21 Valley Farm Pit Sproughton SBS Spares

22 Folly Farm Tattingstone Shotley Holdings Ltd

23 Sheepdrift Farm Quarry Waldringfield Brett Aggregates Ltd

24 Summer Road Depot Walsham Le Willows R & D Construction

25 Bay Farm Quarry Worlington Frimstone Ltd

26 Gazeley Depot Gazeley (Higham) Tarmac

27 Gt Blakenham Gt Blakenham Brett Aggregates Ltd

28 Sinks Pit Little Bealings Tippers `R` Us



10.20. The Competition Commission has recently (January 2014) published its Investigation

into the Aggregates, Cement & Ready Mix Concrete market. The Competition Commission reported in its summary of hearing with the Minerals Product Association (MPA) that the MPA considered “New sources of supply included the development of the recycled and secondary market which currently accounted for 30 per cent of the market. However, apart from gradual efforts to upgrade the quality of recycled products there were unlikely to be material changes in the supply chain as it was considered that most potential recycled and secondary materials were already in the market”.

10.21. In the Competition Commissions summary of hearing with the British Aggregates

Association (BAA) it was stated that “The BAA considered that the substitutability of aggregates was very limited because of the small number of projects where substitutability was feasible. Recycled aggregates would never be likely to make up more than around 30 per cent of the market”.

10.22. Similar figures were suggested by the major aggregates producers. Tarmac in its

statement to the Competition Commission provided data which suggested that recycled & secondary aggregates constituted a higher proportion of use in general construction (47% 2008-2010 average) compared with Ready Mixed Concrete, concrete products or asphalt where recycled & secondary aggregates provided 6%, 13% and 17% respectively.

10.23. Notwithstanding the important role that recycled and secondary aggregates can play

in reducing demand for the use of virgin land won aggregate, the County Council does not consider that it would be appropriate to plan for a significant increase in the volume of secondary aggregate. This would depend on the scale of new development, the degree to which this involves demolition and the scope for recycling such materials. The County Council will encourage the recycling of aggregates and where possible insitu reuse. The County Council will also provide a positive planning framework for recycling facilities to come on stream, where appropriate

10.24. Suffolk County Council does not therefore consider that there is a case for reducing

the level of land won aggregates for which it needs to make provision by planning for an increase in the contribution recycling activity may make to overall aggregate provision in Suffolk.

10.25. Asphalt and concrete batching plants 10.26. The County has a number of both asphalt and concrete batching plants. These facilities

are a user and, in terms of the end product is a supplier of aggregate. A number of these plants are co-located within quarries or at rail heads/wharves. The facilities are distributed around the county serving both the main conurbations and in many places where located on the county boundary to neighbouring County markets. Figure 9 and Tables 11 and 12 identify the location of the asphalt and concrete batching plants as of 31st December 2015.



FIGURE 9: Map of asphalt and concrete batching plants in Suffolk



Table 11: Asphalt batching plant facilities in Suffolk

Site Number

Site Operating Company Location

1 Flixton Park Tarmac Bungay

2 Higham Rail Depot Tarmac Higham,

Newmarket

3 Sinks Pit (Site inactive) Cemex UK Materials (asphalt

& macadam) Ltd Main Road,

Kesgrave, Ipswich

4 Ipswich East Bank Tarmac Power Station

Quay, Cliff Quay, Ipswich

5 Foxhall landfill site Ringway Roadstone Ltd t/a

Eurovia Foxhall Road,

Ipswich

6 Cavenham Quarry Hope Aggregates Old Tuddenham

Airfield, Cavenham

7 Ellough Industrial

Estate (Site mothballed) Enstone Johnstone Sandpits Lane

8 Broomfield Pit Tarmac Barham



Table 12: List of concrete batching plants in Suffolk

Site Number

Site Operating Company

Location

1 Meekings Road, Sudbury Cemex UK Ltd Sudbury

2 Saxmundham Plant, Theberton

airfield Cemex UK Ltd Saxmundham/Leiston

3 Flixton Plant Cemex UK Ltd Flixton, Bungay

4 Hadleigh Road Industrial

Estate, Arkwright Road, Ipswich

Euromix Ipswich

5 Stowmarket Business Park Eastern Counties Stowmarket

6 Fornham Park Eastern Counties Fornham St Martin

7 Bury St Edmunds Eastern Counties Bury St Edmunds

8 Block works, Sproughton Road

Ipswich Hanson Concrete Ipswich

9 Bay Farm Quarry Hanson Concrete Worlington

10 Kedington Road, Haverhill Hanson Concrete Haverhill

11 Portman Walk, Ipswich Cemex UK Ltd Ipswich

12 Hill Road, Beccles Cemex UK Ltd Beccles

13 Sheepdrift Farm Quarry Brett Aggregates Waldringfield, Ipswich

14 Shrubland Quarry Brett Aggregates Coddenham, Ipswich

15 Bath Hills Road, Bungay Bungay

16 Sinks Pit Cemex UK Ltd Kesgrave, Ipswich

17 Pesthouse Lane, Barham Tarmac Barham, Ipswich

18 Fornham Park Allen Newport Ltd Fornham Park

19 Ipswich East Bank Tarmac Power Station Quay, Cliff Quay, Ipswich



11. Looking to the future

11.1. At Suffolk County Council, the Cabinet has agreed to update the existing minerals and waste development plan documents by combining them into a single Suffolk Minerals & Waste Local Plan.

11.2. To inform the plan making process, this LAA includes below an assessment of the current planned provision for aggregates including both permitted reserves and the resources contained within existing allocated sites.

11.3. Tables 13 and 14 below identify those sites allocated within the Minerals Specific Site Allocation DPD for Suffolk for which planning permission had not been granted (as at 31 December 2014 and 2015). It also indicates the estimated reserves that these sites may contain.

11.4. In addition, there would be a need to review existing allocations to consider whether they remain deliverable.



TABLE 13: Sites allocated (allocated reserves) in current Minerals Site Allocations Development Plan Document adopted September 2009 and for which planning permission has not been granted (as at 31 December 2014

DPD Site ref:

Site Name Estimated Tonnage

(million tonnes, mt)

4 Layham 0.8

5A, 5B Barham 0.6

6 Chilton Estate Sudbury 1.0

12, 12A Timworth 2.5

16 Homersfield/Flixton 0.856

19 Worlington Quarry/Red Lodge 0.09


23 Cavenham Quarry (western extension) 0.88

Total All Sites 6.90

Source: Suffolk Minerals Specific Site Allocation Development Plan Document Adopted September 2009.

TABLE 14: Sites allocated (allocated reserves) in current Minerals Site Allocation Development Plan Document adopted September 2009 and for which planning permission has not been granted as at 31 December 2015

DPD Site ref:

Site Name Estimated Tonnage

(million tonnes, mt)

4 Layham 0.8

5A, 5B Barham 0.6

6 Chilton Estate Sudbury 1.0

12, 12A Timworth 2.5



23 Cavenham Quarry (western extension) 0.88

Total All Sites 6.05

Source: Suffolk Minerals Specific Site Allocation Development Plan Document Adopted September 2009.



11.5. Tables 15 and 16 below compare the planned provision (i.e. permitted reserves and reserves contained within sites allocated in the Minerals Specific Site Allocation DPD) against both the current apportionment of 1.62 mts and the 10-year average sales figures to obtain a planned provision land bank for 2014 and 2015.

11.6. The total of permitted and allocated reserves as of the end of 2014 was 20.11 mts (see table 16 below). Using the sub-regional apportionment figure of 1.62 mts per annum, these reserves are sufficient for 12.4 years (until late 2026). Even in the worst case scenario, using the current apportionment of 1.62 mts per annum, the Suffolk Minerals & Waste Local Plan will be in place by 2018, so that the provision of sand and gravel will be replenished to help maintain the landbank of permitted reserves at the required level of at least 7 years.

11.7. The total of permitted and allocated reserves as of the end of 2015 was 19.23 mts (see table below 17). Using the sub-regional apportionment figure of 1.62 mts per annum, these reserves are sufficient for 11.8 years (until late 2026). Once again, even in the worst case scenario, using the current apportionment of 1.62 mts per annum, the Suffolk Minerals & Waste Local Plan will be in place by 2018, so that the provision of sand and gravel will be replenished to help maintain the landbank of permitted reserves at the required level of at least 7 years.



TABLE 15: Comparison of planned provision against current apportionment and 10 year average sales as of 31 December 2014

Assumed sales

Permitted reserves

as at 31/12/2014

Allocated reserves

as at 31/12/2014

Total planned

provision as at

31/12/2014

Number of years planned

provision

Date current planned

provision would be

exhausted

Year provision of 7 year land banks expires

Current Apportionment of 1.62 mts

13.2 mts 6.9 mts

20.1 mts

12.4

2026

2019

10 year average sales of 1.39 mts

13.2 mts 6.9 mts

20.1 mts

14.5

2028

2021

TABLE 16: Comparison of planned provision against current apportionment and 10 year average sales as of 31 December 2015

Assumed sales

Permitted reserves

as at 31/12/2015

Allocated reserves

as at 31/12/2015

Total planned

provision as at

31/12/2015


provision

Date current planned

provision would be

exhausted

Year provision of 7 year land banks expires

Current Apportionment of 1.62 mts

13.19 mts 6.04 mts

19.23 mts 11.8 2025 2018

10 year average sales of 1.2 mts

13.19 mts 6.04 mts

19.23 mts 16.02 2030 2023



11.8. The current appointment figure is based upon the revised national guidelines that cover

the period to 2020. At the time of writing, the National Co-ordinating Group is not scheduled to meet in the foreseeable future. Therefore in the likely absence of updated guidelines emerging, the default position is for the provision for sand and gravel in the proposed Suffolk Minerals & Waste Local Plan would be based upon a ten year rolling average, see tables 17 and 18 below. The base date of the plan would be the 31 December 2016 and the rolling average at that date would be used as a basis for the plan submitted to the Secretary of State.

TABLE 17: Provision of sand and gravel to 2036 based on the 10 year average sales (as of 31 December 2014)

Assumed

Sales Permitted reserves

as at 31/12/2014

Allocated reserves

as at 31/12/2014

Total planned

provision as at

31/12/2014


provision

Date current planned provision would be exhausted

Unallocated provision needed up to 2036 plan period (years)

Unallocated provision needed up to 2036 plan period (mts)

10 year average

sales of 1.39 mts

13.2 mts 6.9 mts 20.1 mts 14.5

(20.1 mts / 1.39 mts)

2028 7.5 years 10.42 mts

(1.39 mts x

7.5)

Source: Aggregate Monitoring Surveys

TABLE 18: Provision of sand and gravel to 2036 based on the 10 year average sales (as of 31 December 2015)

Assumed

sales Permitted reserves

as at 31/12/2015

Allocated reserves

as at 31/12/2015

Total planned

provision as at

31/12/2015


provision

Date current planned provision would be exhausted

Unallocated provision needed up to 2036 plan period (years)

Unallocated provision needed up to 2036 plan period (mts)

10 year average

sales of 1.2 mts

13.19 mts 6.05 mts 19.24 mts 16.03

(19.24 mts / 1.2 mts)

2031 5 years 6.00 mts

(1.2 mts x 5)

Source: Aggregate Monitoring Surveys



11.9. Figure 10 below shows sales and apportionments for the period 1995-2015 and the 10-

year average sales figure. Sales have never exceeded the apportionment over the years in question and have been below the 10 year rolling average since 2009.

FIGURE 10: Sales, Apportionment and 10-year average sales for Suffolk 1995 - 2015


11.10. The County Council has considered whether there are any major developments or

infrastructure projects that might indicate that either the 10 year average sales or the current apportionment might represent an under provision such that a larger amount of sand & gravel extraction should be planned for.

11.11. Set out below in Table 19 are figures relating to housing trajectories taken from district

& borough council Core Strategies. These suggest that overall there is a 10.9% increase in the annual average number of planned housing completions, over that previously provided for in the former East of England plan which provided the basis for the apportionment figures, and which had a plan period running from 2001 to 2021.

11.12. Table 20 sets out figures relating to housing completions that shows that overall the actual average annual completions are 28.5% lower that the local plans figures and 20.7% lower than the former East of England Plan projections.



TABLE 19: Housing trajectories

District/

Borough

Plan

period

Housing

units

Annual

Average

Former

Regional

figure

Regional

Annual

Average

Variation from

Regional

figure

Babergh 2011-2031

6000 300 5600 280 Annual increase from 280 to 300

Forest Heath 2011-2031

7,000 350 6400 320 Annual increase from

320 to 350

Ipswich 2010-2027


770 to 824

Mid Suffolk 2012-2027

6,500 433 8300 415 Annual increase from 415 to 500

SEBC 2001-2031


500 to 513

Suffolk

Coastal 2010-2027 7,900 465 10200 510

Annual decrease from

510 to 465

Waveney 2001-2025

6,960 290 5800 290 No annual change

Total

67,960 3,422 61700

3,085

Source: Suffolk County Council.

TABLE 20: Housing completions

District/

Borough

Actual

Completions since start

of Plan to

2015

Annual

Completion

Averages

Percentage

of annual

Plan

figure

Percentage

of former annual

Regional

figure

Babergh 941 235 78.3% 83.9%

Forest Heath 1,123 281 80.2% 87.8

Ipswich 7,980 570 53.2% 74.0%

Mid Suffolk 1,278 426 98.3% 102.6%

SEBC 4,936 353 68.8% 70.6%

Suffolk

Coastal 1,452 290 62.3% 56.8%

Waveney 4,114 294 101.3% 101.3%

Total 21,824 2,449 71.5% 79.3%

Source: Suffolk County Council.



11.13. There are some major transport infrastructure proposals planned but these are unlikely

to generate sufficient demand for aggregates to warrant an increase in the apportionment. Road schemes planned include new bridges in Ipswich and Lowestoft.

11.14. There are also a number of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects planned for Suffolk including the A14 road improvements and a number of projects relating to the upgrading and provision of electricity power lines. These are likely to require some relatively small quantities of aggregate provision.

11.15. The most significant possible NSIP is the construction of new nuclear power stations at Sizewell (and the associated development). However, no application has been submitted for this and the timescale for construction is uncertain even if consent is forthcoming. The implications of this development will be kept under review in future LAAs.



12 Conclusions

12.1 Suffolk currently has sufficient permitted reserves of sand & gravel to maintain at least a seven-year land bank as required by the National Planning Policy Framework and the Suffolk Minerals Core Strategy.

12.2 The proposed Suffolk Minerals & Waste Local Plan is intended to have an end date of

2036 and additional land won sand & gravel resources will need to be identified. In the absence of updated national guidelines for aggregates provision, the provision in the plan will be based on a ten year average of past sales with a base date of 31 December 2016. Reference to past sales indicates that the sub-regional apportionment has never been exceeded and that sales have been lower than the ten year average since 2009.

12.3 Suffolk does not currently consider that it would be appropriate to plan for an increased

proportion of aggregate demand to be provided by marine dredged aggregate. This reflects the difficulty in relying on supply where marine dredged material can be diverted relatively easily to other markets and where demand for marine dredged materials in other markets such as London remains high. Suffolk will continue to safeguard wharves which are capable of receiving marine dredged and marine borne aggregates in line with its existing policy.

12.4 Fully accurate statistics for recycled aggregates are difficult to obtain. Suffolk will

promote and encourage the use of recycled aggregates for example by imposing conditions on its own developments to ensure that demolition materials are reused wherever possible and will provide a positive planning framework for dealing with applications for aggregate recycling facilities, where appropriate

12.5 However, Suffolk does not consider that it should seek to place more reliance on

recycled or secondary aggregates to meet its aggregates provision, partly because the volumes potentially available in Suffolk are likely to be relatively low and constant, and are heavily dependent on the level of the construction activity.