The number of quarries in Lincolnshire extracting limestone, chalk, sand and gravel - Find a freedom of information request

Given the number of quarries in Lincolnshire extracting limestone, chalk, sand and gravel etc, I have not been able to find in any of the annual reports any details on

1) how such land is restored once extractions are finished on these sites. I have seen reports that mention infill with soil or 'soil producing materials'.

2) Given that high quality agricultural land can be used for quarrying, what is meant by 'soil producing materials', is it toxic, can it leach toxins, is household waste used? Are such sites infilled with household rubbish, etc?

Reports also mention the potential development of marsh or fenland on extraction sites that are exhausted. Given the not small risk already known in terms of sea level rise with global warming, and the prediction that much of Lincolnshire fenland will be under water,

3) how therefore can the production of more fenland/marshland be sustainable?

4) Why when reports are produced in relation to existing and future extraction sites is there no detailed explanation of how the closure of the quarries will be managed, with measured sustainability and risk assessments produced to provide clear and transparent information for public assimilation?
 

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1) Every quarry has an approved restoration scheme. The details of how restoration is proposed to be carried out at mineral extraction sites can be found in the planning permission for the site which can be searched for via: https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/planning/findplanning-application

2) “soil producing materials” is an old term not generally used in modern planning permissions, but would relate to inert/organic non-toxic materials. The counties household waste landfill sites are mostly former mineral extraction sites, but the majority of mineral sites are not filled with household waste.

3) The balance of sustainable development is assessed at planning application stage and the restoration of the site is included in this balance. The decision to restore a site to fenland can provide multiple benefits in terms of biodiversity and conservation value. Fenland also provides carbon dioxide sinks and storage by the way they capture and store carbon from atmospheric gases thus contributing to climate change mitigation.

4) The restoration and end use of a mineral extraction site is set out and managed by planning conditions in the planning permission which is available for public inspection on the website in question1). Compliance with these conditions and any other requirements are monitored by dedicated monitoring and enforcement officers to oversee site closure and the delivery of the approved restoration schemes. All planning applications undergo public consultation with details of the restoration and after use for quarries available for scrutiny. All comments are taken into consideration as part of the decision-making process.