Plans to extend Houghton Quarry operations for 10 years rejected as councillors vote against officials' advice

Holystone Civil Engineering submitted an application in 2019 to extend operations at the site for up to 10 years.

In recent years, the firm has operated a crushing and screening plant within the quarry void sorting waste into recyclable and non-recyclable materials.

Non-recyclable waste has been used to create a ‘development platform’ for a planned employment park, which won approval from Sunderland City Council in 2013.

However, an independent assessment provided by the applicant stated there is no demand for the development currently as “economic uncertainty for construction projects remains likely due to Brexit.”

Under the new programme, the applicant hoped to continue infilling works at the quarry over the next five years to increase the height of the development platform.

They added a new ‘wash plant’ would remain on site for a further five years to support the development of the employment park.

After being deferred at a meeting last month, councillors on the council’s area Development Control Sub-Committee agreed to put the brakes on the extension.

The move to reject the plans, against the advice of council planning officers, was sparked by concerns about the impact on the green belt and other issues.

At a previous meeting, ward councillors for the area raised concerns about the quarry works putting a planned multi-million pound retail development at Houghton Colliery, and hundreds of jobs, in “jeopardy.”

The council’s own strategic property manager also agreed, stating quarry works would impact on the “success of the colliery site as a retail offer.”

Councillors at odds with quarry operators

Houghton councillors Juliana Heron and Neil MacKnight and Copt Hill councillor, Kevin Johnston, spoke out against the plans again at a planning meeting on March 3.

Concerns included the impact on wildlife, noise and dust, continued HGV traffic from the development site and the potential effects on Houghton regeneration plans.

Coun MacKnight also challenged the applicant’s stance that there was no demand for the employment park, noting major council projects such as the International Advanced Manufacturing Park near Nissan.

Council planning officers stressed there were no objections to the plans from highways, environmental health and ecology teams and national bodies such as Highways England and Natural England.

And finance manager for Holystone Civil Engineering, Ryan Peddie, said continued works at the quarry would safeguard and create jobs and compliment regeneration efforts in Sunderland.

This includes providing a facility to process inert waste from the construction industry, improved recycling rates and the employment benefits of the planned employment park itself.

He added that the loss of the waste processing facility would see rising development costs for regeneration projects in Sunderland rise with marginal projects and jobs potentially at risk.

Subject to the plans being approved, applicants also agreed to install a new and improved cleaning facility to remove all waste from vehicles before they exit the quarry site.

Following debate, a motion to reject the plans from Coun Mel Speding, seconded by Coun Dr Geoff Walker, won support from the planning committee.

Coun Kevin Johnston welcomed the move in a social media statement after the meeting.

He said: “This is fantastic news for the people of Houghton and I’m so proud this site has finally come to an end.

“We can now look forward to moving on with the exciting plans for Houghton without this holding us back.”

Houghton Quarry was previously mined for stone for more than 150 years before being used by BIffa Waste as a household waste landfill site in the late 1990s, with the landfill use ceasing in 2014.

Holystone Civil Engineering has the right to appeal the planning decision.