Say No in the HCC planning consultation
This website explains how bad and wide-ranging would be the effects of having Purple Haze turned into a quarry.
The potential disaster gets orders of magnitude worse if the quarry were to be 'restored' using landfill waste.
What is inert waste? Inert waste is defined by the Landfill Directive as material that does not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological transformations. Inert material will not dissolve, burn or otherwise physically or chemically react, biodegrade or adversely affect other matter with which it comes into contact in a way likely to give rise to environmental pollution or harm human health. The big issue for Purple Haze is that a mixture of inert waste and materials remaining on site after excavation cannot provide the soil conditions necessary for establishing the restored habitat promised by the quarry developer. Expert opinion confirms this. It also demonstrates that resulting water-flow effects would wreak havoc with the surrounding environment.
What is non-hazardous waste? Non-hazardous waste includes any rubbish or recycling materials that cause no harm to human or environmental health. This waste can be from business or household producers. This can include general household waste like paper, food, sanitary, bathroom rubbish and mixed recyclables (including glass), disposable vapes, bulky waste (skip loads), garden and grounds waste and business wastes including any that come from industrial or agricultural sources. It also includes healthcare wastes (including PPEs) that are soiled but pose no threat to human or environmental health. Non-hazardous waste can be offensive and typically attracts rodents and scavenging birds like seagulls. Non hazardous waste can be inflammable, sometimes where a fire is triggered by biological heating within the waste pile. The nearby Blue Haze landfill site operated by Veolia for HCC has suffered all the issues of offensive waste. The problem for Purple Haze, priceless natural habitats and community need no explanation.
Hampshire County Council (HCC) will decide whether or not to grant planning consent for the quarry on the basis of multiple considerations that you can see here. Its decision-making process also rests on whether a revised Hampshire minerals & waste plan would continue to permit Purple Haze to be allocated as a potential quarry and, as implied (see below), also as a potential landfill site for non-hazardous or inert waste.
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*Page 181 of HCC’s Proposed Submission Plan (2023) paragraph: Restoration, implies in the opening sentence that landfill will be used.
This sentence MUST be deleted from the Plan to remove any doubt.
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We ask you to join us in taking the opportunity that is presented by HCC's consultation seeks the opinion of the public and stakeholders regarding the content of the draft 'Hampshire Minerals & Waste Partial Plan Update'.
We, of course, are objecting to Purple Haze's inclusion in the plan, pointing out the consequences of using the site for landfill and stating our reasons for doing so. The closing date for objecting is 5th March: best click the button now!