OBJECTORS fear quarry owners won’t fully restore a green belt site as it was given the go-ahead to keep its waste recycling facility.
Since 2010, Jayflex Aggregates Limited, the owner of Horton Brook Quarry, has been extracting gravel and sand from a 55-hectare (136-acre) site in Horton Road, Horton.
The small independent operator was granted permission to do this only temporarily until 2025 and was conditioned to restore the land back to its former use as agriculture.
But objectors fear the green belt won’t be how it was previously as councillors sitting on the Windsor and Ascot development management panel approved for Jayflex to keep its 12-hectare (29-acre) inert waste recycling facility at the site permanently.
This will be used to recycle sand, gravel, and soils for reuse.
Representing Horton Parish Council, Cllr Janet Crame, said the parish was “extremely disappointed” planning officers recommended approval and the lack of engagement with them.
Cllr Crame believed part of the site won’t be fully restored to what it once was – with this application harming the openness of the green belt.
She said: “The original planning permissions and extensions have always included reinstating the land to agricultural use. It should be completed in 2025.
“That would allow the green belt policy to be honoured. Granting the application would negate the NPPF [National Planning Policy Framework] green belt clause and make some operative planning permission restrictions and regulations.”
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Meanwhile, Cllr Wisdom Da Costa (WWRA: Clewer & Dedworth West), who was the only member to vote against the application, was concerned the plan does comply with climate change policies.
He said: “I’m surprised being a responsible waste manager that they [Jayflex] haven’t actually thought about that themselves and said: ‘this is how we’re going to deal with climate change’. That’s disappointing.”
Speaking on behalf of Jayflex, Philip Taylor said the plans will help meet the projected deficit of 574,000 tonnes of inert waste each year until 2036 by recycling 200,000 a year.
He said: “There have been no operational complaints in the last 13 years, and this is due to Jayflex running a well-managed site and being a considerate neighbour.
“Jayflex can guarantee this will continue.”
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Planning officers told councillors this application does meet council policies in terms of climate change and sustainability and because it is an inert waste recycling facility, it will help tackle those issues.
Cllr David Hilton (Con: Ascot & Sunninghill), who moved officer recommendations, said because the site, along with others, is now earmarked within the joint minerals and waste plan, it is “not unreasonable” to approve the application.
He also amended the scheme to make sure the spoil of the recycled materials is no greater than the bund in order to reduce the harm to the openness of the green belt.
A majority of councillors approved the plan, which is subject to Jayflex signing off a financial contribution of £6,000 a year for the next 10 years to help fund multiple infrastructure projects, on Wednesday, January 4.
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