Dovesdale landfill's life extended

However, proposals to continue using the former quarry at Dovesdale Farm, near Stonehouse, as a landfill for the next 36 years were scaled back to 10 years.

Concerns were raised by Clydesdale West Councillor David Shearer, backed by Hamilton North and East Councillor Davie McLachlan, at a meeting of South Lanarkshire Council’s planning committee last week that the council could lose control of the site if consent was granted for 36 years.

Planning and building standards manager Tony Finn said it was “a well-run site” that the council monitors annually and the 36 year extension was considered “appropriate”.

However, Cllr Shearer said: “I have got one concern which is the 36 year extension. Would it be more appropriate to extend it for say 10 years?

“That would allow a review of what is going on at the site in 10 years time rather than just having it open-ended for 36 years.

“I do feel that it takes it out of any control whatsoever.

“There is a sinking feeling at the bottom of my stomach. This would be better on a shorter timescale.”

Cllr McLachlan added: “I’m tending to agree with Cllr Shearer. 36 years is a long time and a lot of things could happen between now and then.

“I really don’t see any downsides to reducing it to something like 10 years because, at the end of the day, the applicant can come back and if everything was okay we could grant it for another 10 years.

“I don’t think it would be that prohibitive.”

Applicants William Hamilton and Sons have been using inert construction waste to restore the quarry to agricultural land since 1994.

Approximately 1.3 million tonnes of waste has been dumped on site over the last 27 years and a further 500,000 tonnes could be deposited there by 2031.

Part of the quarry which was not previously landfill has recently been acquired by the applicant and will now be added to it.

Consent for the landfill, last updated in 2011, had expired in May this year but the application to extend its lifespan – which was submitted in November 2020 – was delayed following the cyber attack on SEPA, which is a statutory consultee.

In total, 52 letters of objection were submitted and included concerns for the greenbelt, the road network and increased traffic.

The site is located in the greenbelt but Mr Finn said the “principle of the development had already been established” and there are no planned increases to the number of HGV movements or the hours of operation.

Mr Finn added: “The application site is a former quarry which extends to approximately 17ha. Around 14ha, is an active infill using inert materials and in particular construction debris.

“The application was submitted in good time but there has been a delay in getting this to committee because of the ability of SEPA to respond to consultation requests following the cyber attack.

“The application is not for municipal waste but for inert construction material that will be used for the infill of the quarry.”