How to prepare for a quarry inspection in 3 easy steps

As stated on the Gov website, under the Town and Country Planning Regulations 2012, mineral planning authorities are allowed to make eight chargeable monitoring visits within any 12-month period at operational sites – they can of course undertake as many as they wish but not all can be charged for.

Also, under the Quarry Regulations 1999, it outlines that the site operator shall:

“(b) ensure that, where appropriate, suitable written reports are made of inspections, maintenance and tests carried out in pursuance of sub- paragraph (a) and that each report records significant defects and the steps taken to remedy them and –

(i) is signed by the person making it, and

(ii) countersigned by an appropriate person in the management structure”

We understand that there’s a lot of legislation and paperwork for operators to digest and make sense of, and here at MPG, we’re experts in knowing how to demystify and make the industry jargon easy to understand.

 That’s why we’re bringing you this quickfire quarry inspection preparation checklist, so the next time you have your inspection date in the diary, you’ll know what to expect and how to prepare effectively – without any last-minute panicking.

1)     Source all your documentation

It may seem obvious but digging out all your planning permission documentation (especially approved plans!) and schemes is a crucial first step in preparing for a quarry inspection.

The last thing you want to happen before the visit is to not be able to put your finger on where the relevant paperwork lives. Therefore, once you have your inspection date, make sure you have enough time set aside for the collation of the documents – the adage ‘fail to prepare and prepare to fail’ has never rung truer.

2)     Audit yourself first

When a planning officer visits site, they will want to conduct a full compliance check – running through each of the conditions in your planning permission and the associated evidence which confirms the conditions have been complied with, or if they haven’t, a clear rationale as to why not.

We’d recommend scheduling in some time with the site team and holding a ‘toolbox talk’ to familiarise yourselves with and run through the conditions.

You should put yourself in the shoes of the officer/inspector – honestly marking your site against each of the conditions. This will help you to identify any deficits and put systems/actions in place to overcome them.

For instance, if one of the conditions is that all external site lights will be angled downwards by a specific date, but that date is close or has passed and this hasn’t been fulfilled, it’s important to have a plan in place to show that you’re working towards it. You could have a receipt which demonstrates that you’re having some new lights fabricated and they’ll be arriving in ‘x’ weeks’ time.

Being able to illustrate that you are working towards compliance is far better than having no plan in place and nothing to show to the officer/inspector on the day.

3)     Make sure your site is tidy and safe

First impressions count, that’s why it’s crucial to make sure your quarry is both tidy and safe for a visit. If an inspector can’t even locate the office or has to dodge hazards to reach it as soon as they arrive, this doesn’t paint the site in the best light.

From layout and environment to health and safety, it’s important that all bases have been covered.

If you’d like help in preparing for your quarry inspection, or want to get in touch about another mineral, waste, environmental planning or permitting matter, please contact our friendly team by phoning 01274 884599 or emailing headoffice@mpgyorks.co.uk.

Alternatively, drop us a note over on our contact us page.