Green light for village quarry extension

The quarry in south Derbyshire provides sand and gravel for the construction industry

Plans have been given the go-ahead for a 50-acre extension to a village quarry that has been worked for more than 60 years.

Derbyshire County Council approved the extension of the 200-acre Willington Quarry site into neighbouring Staffordshire, close to Newton Solney and the A38 Clay MIlls junction, on Monday.

The extension will see the land worked for 600,000 tonnes of sand and gravel for up to nine months for use in the construction industry and then restored to wetland, with all work completed by 2027.

The authority said there was an "established need for mineral development" which is "not considered to result in any negative environmental effects".

Dust concern

Much of the 200-acre site, near Eggington, has been worked by firms since the 1960s and restored to a wetland nature reserve, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

Documents submitted by Cemex say a temporary 28m (91ft) bridge will be built over the River Dove to transport material back to the existing plant site.

Access to the plot would continue to be via The Castle Way in Willington and High Bridge Lane, and would see 200 vehicle movements a day.

About a dozen people objected to the plans with concerns over "unacceptable" noise, dust and on the landscape around Newton Solney - with homes 80m (262ft) from the proposed boundary.

Speaking at the meeting, Steven Kelsey, vice chairman of Newton Solney Parish Council, said the impact on the village needed to be considered, with recent reports of dust covering cars from workings 300m (984ft) away.

Tom Cox, speaking on behalf of Cemex, said the produce being mined from the site would be damp and not result in dust blowing around the surrounding area.

County council planning officers added: "The analyses of the potential environmental effects associated with the development, such as noise and dust emissions, have demonstrated that these effects are individually within accepted limits."