Campaigners oppose demolition plans for clay pits

The waste heaps could be removed

Plans to demolish two former China clay pits near St Austell to make way for a new lithium mine have been met with opposition by campaigners.

Cornish Lithium has proposed plans to re-open and expand old China clay pits near St Dennis to extract lithium.

However campaigners argue the two waste heaps - known locally as "flatty and pointy" - should be kept as they "are a delight to see".

Cornish Lithium said although the heaps, also known as sky tips, are an "important part of history" the mineral lithium was "the future" and would provide up to 300 permanent jobs in the area.

Lithium is used to power batteries and electric vehicles and would be extracted from granite from the old Trelavour China clay pits.

Pat Forward, the chief operating officer at Cornish Lithium, said the extraction was "vital for the strategic future of Cornwall and Great Britain".

He said: "It's estimated by 2030 we'll need about four times as much lithium as we do now and every ton we get out of the ground here means one we don't have to import.

"Between us and the British Lithium project close by we think Cornwall can supply around half of the county's need for it."

Campaign signs have been put up on a nearby roundabout

Trelavour pits near St Dennis were open cast mines for China clay but closed in 2016.

Swenson Kearey, who is leading the campaign against the re-opening of the pits, said the "sheer scale and size" of the operation was his main concern.

"The entire operation will be three times bigger than the village of St Dennis," he said.

"Then there's the noise from blasting, noise from trucks, light pollution and dust, we just think it's too big."

Nick Good, who lives in St Dennis, added: "I enjoy driving down the A30 and seeing flatty and pointy when I'm making the journey home, they're iconic for local people and a delight to see."

Campaigner Swenson Kearney does not agree with the plans

In response, a spokesperson for Cornish Lithium said the company would "operate within what the law requires" and "go further than that".

They said: "We can minimise dust by simply spraying water and we'll mitigate noise by using modern machinery is much quieter.

"We'll continue to engage with the local community and manage expectations."

The company will consult with the public before formally submitting the application.