AN established haulage firm based in a nationally protected area of the countryside has been given permission for a ‘prominent’ shed to store top soil. 

The building, which will be 7.4 metres tall at its highest point, and measure 12m by 18m will be built in an area surrounded by woodland next to the B4235, west of Chepstow, within the Wye Valley National Landscape, which is protected as an area of outstanding natural beauty. 

Monmouthshire County Council has given planning permission for the shed as applicant Peter Stephens Road Haulage is an established business that has operated from the site for more than 10 years. 

Planning officer Kate Young said the shed would be “visually prominent and raised above the level of the road” and could be approved despite policy being waste management facilities should be on industrial sties or next to, or within, developments where necessary.

She said the firm employs four people full time and stated in her report: “This is a unique situation where the site is outside the development boundary but on an existing site that has been previously used and allowed for this purpose. It is considered that this activity does comply with the spirit of (the) policy.” 

The council’s landscape officer hasn’t objected and the building will have green sheeting to help lessen its impact and there are no residential properties within 400m. 

Top soil will delivered on eight-wheeler tipper trucks, similar to the 20 tonne lorries already bringing other building waste to the site that handles 4,000 to 6,000 tonnes a year.

They will use the existing access from the B4235 and the site already sees some 300 vehicular movements a year or an average of six a week. Soil will be removed from the site as and when it is needed. 

A construction management plan will be required to manage impact on wildlife ad biodiversity while a landscape and planting plan for new trees is also required, which Mathern Community Council said should be a condition of the approval.