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19
Jan
16,000 lorry loads of ‘poor quality’ soil could be removed from Kex Gill in latest ‘cock-up’
About 16,000 lorry loads of soil being excavated at Kex Gill could have to be taken offsite because it is of too poor quality to be reused.
Three miles of the A59 are being realigned in the landslip-prone area between Harrogate and Skipton as part of a £68.8 million scheme overseen by North Yorkshire Council.
The project is due to be completed by June next year.
One of the planning conditions states all soil on site, including topsoil, subsoil and peat, would be retained for restoration work in the area of outstanding natural beauty.
But the council has applied to itself to vary this condition because it now says the soil quality is poorer than expected — even though a soil management plan was agreed in advance.
It means 110,000 cubic metres of soil could have to be removed, with most of it being taken by lorry to a quarry in Skipton.
Drone footage of Kex Gill.
A planning statement by consultants WSP on behalf of the council says not only is the soil quality worse than predicted, but the volume excavated has exceeded expectations.
The statement says “it is necessary to reassess the current approach to soil management and storage” and suggests stockpiling soil on adjacent land until a decision is made.
A new soil resources management plan, which details where more than 16,000 loads would be taken, says up to 90 loads a day can be moved off-site, adding:
At present, it has been forecast that the volume of material (unsuitable Class 2) to be taken off site to Skipton Quarry would be circa 110,000 cubic metres.
The planning documents also state "there could be potential impacts in terms of AONB, landscape, amenity, habitat creation, ecology, loss of soil resource, restoration and transport".
The council has said it can treat the issue as a section 73 application, which means it only has to amend the original planning application rather than submit a new one.
'A project of incredible incompetence'
Blubberhouses resident Alistair Young, whose home overlooks the A59 and who has taken a keen interest in the realignment, said it was “just another cock-up in the planning and surveying for the new road”.
Mr Young, who has submitted comments to the council, told the Stray Ferret:
When the A59 was closed for 5 months, it was as a result of their lack of understanding of the terrain and how unstable and wet the land was alongside the A59, made worse by the removal of the woodland.
This latest variation means that there will be thousands of heavily laden wagons driving off-site for over six months.
It continues to be a project of incredible incompetence, inefficiency and a disregard for any impacts on local residents. Their Christmas shutdown started on December 19, despite them being over a year behind schedule.
The Stray Ferret put Mr Young's comments, plus a list of questions, to the council. The questions included how much the soil remedial work will cost and who will pay, whether the issue will delay the realignment and why was the poor soil quality not noticed during WSP’s original soil surveys.
A council spokesperson said our request would be treated as a freedom of information request, which means it should respond in 20 working days.
We will publish the response.
The landslip at Kex Gill
The £68.8 million new road is being mainly funded by the Department for Transport, which has provided £56.1 million. The council is funding the remaining £12.7 million.
Irish construction firm Sisk is the main contractor for the scheme,
The current A59 at Kex Gill is closed following the latest landslip on New Year’s Day. It is expected to re-open on January 29.
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