Cambridgeshire council says Whittlesey firm is set to appeal

Johnsons Aggregates & Recycling Ltd’s application, reference CCC/24/091/VAR, was refused by the county council’s planning committee in March on public-health and highways grounds.

The proposal would have increased activity, including waste throughput, vehicle movements, stockpile heights and operating hours.

The county council has now advised residents’ group Saxongate that Johnsons intends to appeal the decision.

Cambridgeshire County Council's planning committee refused Johnson's Aggregates plans to expand its Saxon Pit operations earlier this year, now the firm is set to appeal that decision. (Image: Steve Barclay MP)

If a formal appeal is submitted, it will be determined by the Planning Inspectorate rather than returning to the council’s planning committee.

Representations made during the original planning application will be forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate and considered as part of the appeal.

There may also be a further opportunity for people to comment, depending on the procedure selected by the inspector.

Saxongate said it would share the appeal reference number, process and consultation deadline once they are confirmed.

The company can continue to operate under its existing planning permission and environmental permit whilst it considers an appeal, but cannot make the expansion proposed in the refused application without securing approval.

Meanwhile, a liaison meeting between Johnsons, councils and representatives has been arranged for September 23.

Saxongate said no Johnsons liaison meeting had been held since November 2025, despite an earlier agreement for meetings every six months.

The group said it had contacted town and district councillors without response before the county council confirmed the September date.

Residents cannot attend directly, but Saxongate has asked Whittlesey Town Council representatives to raise concerns and report back on the answers provided.

Among the issues the group wants addressed are:

• Whether traffic-calming measures on the access road are permanent and whether vehicle speeds are being monitored.
• Progress on a possible lockable entrance barrier intended to prevent vehicle movements outside operating hours.
• How HGV movements across the wider site are recorded and attributed to individual operators.
• The current position on an Environment Agency permit application and its relationship with the refused planning scheme.
• Steps taken after grey water was reportedly used to damp down the access road outside the Johnsons compound, creating a risk of contaminated runoff entering the Saxon Pit lagoon and then King’s Dyke.
• Changes to wedge pits and water-capture tanks, which the county council has classified as non-material.

Saxongate said Environment Agency compliance reports published since November’s liaison meeting recorded seven permit non-compliances at the Johnsons operation.

The group said these included reporting, incinerator bottom ash storage, flooding, water-management and dust-suppression matters.

It said the most recently published report followed a site visit on April 7 and was issued on April 21.

Corrective work on dust suppression was due by May 4, while other matters — including management-system review and remaining standing water — had earlier deadlines. No subsequent report has been published, the group said.

The group said resurfacing the access road had significantly reduced dust and debris affecting residents living closest to the site. It also welcomed the apparent reinstatement of some traffic-calming measures.

Saxongate has separately asked the council to consider a Traffic Regulation Order to enforce a no-right-turn restriction for HGVs leaving the site onto the A605.

It also wants a formal review of continuing vehicle and HGV-trailer storage at nearby Victory Pit. The group said residents had previously been told the use was temporary ahead of development, but it had continued for several years and increased substantially.

Residents who see HGV movements outside normal working hours are being asked to note the date, time, visible operator name and direction of travel, to help investigations.