Garlaff landfill Site, Skares - Barr Ltd - East Ayrshire Council

these circumstances, proposals for small-scale, short-term extraction shall be
supported.
The proposed extraction of coal for a period of 5 to 6 weeks in an
area of only 5.4 hectares is a minor element of the proposal which
is essentially for landfill. It constitutes a small scale proposal within
the context of the Structure Plan and there is a benefit in terms of
local employment and in tackling dereliction; (i.e. a former aggregate
quarry). The unique nature of the minor opencast element of the
overall proposal cannot readily be assessed against the other
aspects of this policy, i.e. overall benefit for an affected community
and environmental benefit. Therefore it is considered that this part
of the development proposal does represent a significant departure
from structure plan policy. In addition NPPG 16 – Opencast Coal
and Related Minerals indicates that deposits of coal capable of
being extracted by opencasting should not be sterilised
unnecessarily. Policies and decisions should therefore take into
account the benefit of removal of coal by opencasting within a
reasonable timescale and in an environmentally friendly way prior
to permanent development, thus avoiding sterilisation of coal
reserves.
5.5 With regard to waste management, Policy E17 states:
The three Ayrshire Councils shall require to make provision for sites of
sufficient capacity for the safe management and disposal of the residues of
domestic and industrial waste within Ayrshire, as close as possible to the point
at which waste is generated.
The proposed development of an extension to the existing landfill
site at Garlaff, with a capacity of 4.1 million cubic metres, would
provide sufficient landfill space at current rates of fill for up to 16
years. Current landfill operations with planning permission and
Waste Management licences in East Ayrshire only have a predicted
remaining void space for approximately two years. It is considered
that the Garlaff site is well located to serve the waste disposal
requirements of East Ayrshire and supports the proximity principle
for disposing of waste close to its source.
5.6 Policy E19 states:
Proposals to handle, treat or dispose of waste and the handling of liquid and
solid by products of water and sewage treatment shall require to be justified
against the following criteria:
(a)
(b)
(c)
the need to avoid, air, surface and groundwater pollution;
the effects of traffic movement and the road network;
the safeguarding of the landscape character, residential amenity;