Mountsorrel residents in quarry expansion meeting call

Mountsorrel quarry has been producing granite for about 150 years

Villagers living close to one of Europe's largest granite quarries have called for an open meeting over plans to expand the Leicestershire site.

Owners of the 450-acre site, off Wood Lane in Mountsorrel, near Quorn, said reserves would be exhausted by 2018 if the site is not widened and deepened.

Residents fear this will create more noise and dust if the plan is approved.

Lafarge Aggregates said it would work to reduce these problems and residents have been "consulted extensively".

Leicestershire County Council said it was not its normal practice to hold public meetings - but it would consider all arguments before making a decision on the proposals.

'Granules on homes'

Local resident Jane Cartwright-Sykes said: "The plans are not clear to ordinary people like us, we don't understand little markers.

"We're very worried... because it's not just dust anymore, it's actual granules on our homes and cars every day."

The company said it would make the plans easier to understand, but it has already held open days and public exhibitions.

"We'll also create a new footpath and bridleway to help people access the woodland areas," the company said.

"The proposals will enable the site to maintain production until around 2040, protecting 140 jobs."

In March 2011, Charnwood Borough Council found dust from the quarry was above national limits after concerns were raised by some nearby residents.

Lafarge Aggregates, which took over the site in 1997, accepted dust levels were higher than was desirable in some areas and took action to tackle the problem.

Granite produced from the site has been used to build parts of the M1 in Leicestershire, the National Space Centre and the athletics track at Loughborough University.