Clevedon: Conygar quarry to climbing centre plan refused

The quarry is along Norton Wood lane, a narrow road, which has been of concern to some locals

A council has refused permission to turn a disused quarry into a rock climbing centre for second time.

North Somerset Council said it was " inappropriate development within the green belt" at Conygar quarry near Clevedon.

Locals were divided, with the latest proposals getting nearly 200 supportive comments and 145 objections.

A statement in response from developer Christopher Lane suggested he would challenge the council at appeal.

The plans involved creating an Olympic-standard rock climbing centre at the old quarry along Norton Wood lane, with indoor climbing walls, outdoor climbing towers, and natural cliff climbing on the quarry's rock faces.

Plans were for the site to be accessible to beginners as well as those wanting top-level facilities.

It would have facilities for other sports like cross country running, yoga, Pilates, and similar classes. There were also plans for a restaurant or café at the centre.

The proposals said it would cater for beginner climbers as well

Mr Lane submitted a planning application for a second time in January, after a previous one was turned down in 2022.

The statement from the council's planning officers said the proposals constituted "inappropriate development within the green belt and would be harmful to the openness and the visual amenities of the green belt" because of "its design, scale, height, mass and external lighting."

The tallest of the climbing towers would have been over 60 metres in height, but the application insisted these would "fit within the deepest parts of the mid-level quarry", hiding them from view.

Objections from the public expressed concerns about increased traffic down the narrow lane to access the site when it was regularly used by cyclists, walkers and horse-riders.

A statement has challenged the council: "A quarry that has already caused substantial harm to openness of the green belt is a sensible place to provide a community facility.

"The green belt is an acceptable place to build and not inappropriate where the genuine goal is to restore the land within."The planning statement also said there were points that would be put to the council at appeal, suggesting that there could be a challenge to this latest refusal.