Campaigners outraged over decision to reopen “mega-quarry” near Frome
Campaigners have criticised Somerset Councils decision
Campaigners have criticised Somerset Council’s decision to reopen a “mega-quarry” near Frome.
Hanson UK (now Heidelberg Materials) put forward four sets of plans back in 2021 to reopen Westdown Quarry, which lies just off the A361 between Frome and Shepton Mallet.
Each of the four applications identified different parcels of land which could either be quarried or used for storing soil and other waste materials – one of which was the ‘quarry void’ near Asham Wood.
In May the company withdrew plans to redevelop the Asham Wood section of the site.
But Somerset Council’s strategic planning committee voted to approve the other three applications by a comfortable margin.
Simon Clarke from the Somerset Wildlife Trust was among the objectors who addressed the committee when it met in Shepton Mallet on June 6.
He said: “We are not clear on the phasing of mitigation measures and whether sufficient time will be given to habitat establishment.
“At a time of climate and ecological emergency, key policy considerations such as climate change and biodiversity net gain must be taken into account.”
Since the Somerset Minerals Plan was last reviewed, two additional quarries have opened in the county – meaning many of the plan’s assumptions about demand and extraction levels may be out of date.
Part of the proposal includes the excavation of 168 acres of “wildlife rich landscape” in and around Westdown Farm, to the north of the A361.
More than 1,100 people had sent letters to the council objection to the proposals in advance of the hearing, citing a range of factors.
Helen Kenny, of Wanstrow, said: “The roads in the area are not designed to handle the volume and weight of quarry-related traffic, posing serious safety risks to residents and commuters.
“The recent fatal road accident on May 30 on the A361 Marston Road involving a lorry is an example of the potential issues regarding heavy goods traffic.”
Robin Witt, who lives in Whatley, said: “As time passes, each new generation does not know how things once were.
“This year we only have two swallows, go back only ten years and we had about 30.
“We have to keep the few remaining places where wildlife still has a foothold.”
Michael Oatley, who lives in Nunney, said reopening the quarry could have “concerning” implications for the entire Mendip Hills water table.
He said: “Already many of the springs have dried up in surrounding farmland.
“The water in the Nunney Brook and other local streams is completely controlled by the quarries with the water from their holding ponds.
“What happens to these springs when the quarries go below the water table and aquifers?”
Despite these concerns, the committee voted by eight votes to three to approve each of the applications to reopen the quarry site after around two hours’ debate.
Chris Maunder added: “The council must be bats*** crazy to allow a developer to rip up farmland and destroy the habitat of rare and protected species for a project that, by its very nature, flies in the face of our need to protect our environment and reduce carbon emissions.
“It also runs contrary to the council’s own declaration of a climate and ecological emergency and will increase the carbon footprint of Somerset quite considerably, through more blasting and an increase in traffic as well as other material removal and processing techniques.
“What is it that causes councillors to make decisions that suit the interests of big business ahead of the environment, of industry ahead of the world we live?”