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Campaigners 'shocked' by quarry plan consultation

Martin Heath
BBC News, Northamptonshire
Google Entry to quarry showing road in past green metal gates, a sign saying "Pury End Quarry" on a board to the right and a green area behind the sign with a track through it - part of the quarried land which has been restoredGoogle
The new quarry would be to the north of the existing one at Pury End

Campaigners said they were "shocked" a council only sent out 41 notification letters to residents about a controversial quarry project.

A proposal from Heritage Quarry Group Ltd (HQGL) would see a new limestone quarry next to the existing one at Pury End, near Towcester in Northamptonshire.

The Stop the New Pury End Quarry (SNPEQ) group said a consultation had ignored some houses in the hamlet, a new estate in Towcester and a primary school.

West Northamptonshire Council has been invited to respond. HQGL said a minerals and waste local plan had identified the site as suitable to provide crushed rock.

An SNPEQ spokesperson said: "As a group, we are shocked that for such a large site, which could impact the living conditions and health of so many local residents, only 41 letters were sent out by the council notifying residents of the plans."

More than 1.5m tonnes of limestone would be extracted from the site, including about 50,000 tonnes of Pury stone, one of the most finely grained varieties.

SNPEQ submitted a Freedom of Information request to find out which residents had been notified.

The response from the Reform UK-controlled council showed that 27 letters had been sent to people in Pury End, which has around 100 houses.

A further 14 had been sent to Towcester and nearby villages.

Google A rural crossroads showing a tall hedge above a stone wall to the left, and a street sign saying CAREYS ROAD. There are cars parked on the grass verge next to the hedge. Another car is travelling towards the camera and is about to pass an old-style road sign. There is a white-rendered two storey house in the distance and a tree to the right.Google
Campaigners say the hamlet of Pury End has been ignored

SNPEQ said about 130 homes on The Furlongs, on the edge of Towcester, should have been informed, along with the developer, Persimmon Homes.

The group said Marie Weller Primary School, about 630m (689 yards) from the site, should also have been told because of the "possible impact on children's health".

Despite its concerns about the consultation, SNPEQ said its campaign had resulted in 220 objections being sent to the council.

The SNPEQ has also submitted an objection letter, saying the new quarry contravenes the local minerals plan.

It said it had spend £2580 so far on legal advice and publicity.

Google Aerial shot of quarry, appearing as white shapes surrounded by green fields. There is a small area of white including buildings - the entrance - at the bottom left of the image, and a road heads up the picture, splitting into two and heading to a larger area of white - the quarry.Google
The quarry will be an extension of the existing Pury End quarry, which is coming to the end of its life

Stephen Woods, from HQGL, said: "The proposed development was allocated in the Northamptonshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan as a site suitable for the provision of crushed rock to enable a planned supply of aggregates over the plan period.

"The full planning application was supported by an environmental statement and the proposed development subject to environmental impact assessment, which includes measures to mitigate against any negative impacts of the proposed development."

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