Objections at quarry bid in beauty spots (From Thisisdorset)

Objections at quarry bid in beauty spots

6:40pm Monday 1st December 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

CALLS to save a Colehill beauty spot from being turned into a quarry have been echoed by councillors.

They have raised objections to all five proposed quarry sites in East Dorset, including Cannon Hill at Colehill, where furious residents have launched a campaign to save it.

Brian Guilmant’s Quarry Road garden backs on to Cannon Hill plantation, where the Forestry Commission and developer Raymond Brown have nominated the site for extraction of up 2.5 million tonnes of sand and gravel.

Mr Guilmant, his wife and neighbours have handed out nearly 600 leaflets to properties adjoining the threatened plantation.

“There could be 100 households with a quarry operating 25 metres from their back fence. The problem would not only be from the digging, but also from grading, and conveyors,” he said.

“We have counted about 250 people a day visiting the plantation from one entrance, at the end of a bridleway leading from Cannon Hill Road.

“If you multiply that figure by 365 you end up with nearly 100,000 people. We took those figures to a meeting of the district council and many of the councillors were surprised.”

The plans came before the policy and resources committee at East Dorset District Council on Wednesday, as part of consultation by Dorset County Council.

Councillors raised objections to proposed sites at Colehill, Ferndown, Verwood, and Wimborne, as well as a further site on the district boundary at Hurn Court Farm, Parley. All were proposed by landowners and mineral firms.

Cllr Mike Dyer, lead member for environment at the council, said: “The committee felt that all the sites had their short-comings, particularly regarding access, as the A31 is already at capacity.

“The majority of the sites are also close to nature conservation areas, such as heathlands. As such, it was felt that none of the proposed sites were suitable.”

The ‘historical significance’ of a proposed sand and gravel site at Horton, near Verwood was also noted.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)