High Court appeal lodged against quarry approval

Plans for the quarry near the village of Bentley were approved in March

A High Court appeal has been lodged to challenge a council's decision to approve plans for a new quarry.

Suffolk County Council approved plans in March for a 36-hectare quarry on the east side of the A12 at Brockley Wood, near Ipswich and the village of Bentley.

Bentley Parish Council and another number of interested parties asked for a judicial review at the court and claimed the council failed to undertake considerations in a number of areas.

The council said it would defend its decision if the case was accepted by the court.

"Suffolk County Council has received notification that Bentley Parish Council and an individual are seeking to challenge the council’s decision to grant planning permission for land allocated in the adopted 2020 Minerals and Waste Local Plan to be used for gravel extraction and infilling with inert waste," a council spokesperson said.

Bentley Parish Council said it had been "very troubled" by the proposals.

When the plans were approved during a council meeting in March, cries of "shame" were heard.

The parties involved in the appeal claimed the council "erred in failing to consider reasonable alternatives which would mitigate the impacts of the working of the site" on the nearby area including residents at Bentley Old Hall.

They added the noise impact of the work was not properly assessed while the mitigation of a reported additional 160 HGV lorries per day was not considered.

The council has two weeks to respond to the claim before the court will decide whether to hear the claim in full.

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