Neighbours fighting plans for quarrying
MORE residents are fighting plans to allow quarrying on green belt land.
Kirklees Council has designated two areas in the Cumberworth and Birdsedge area for mineral extraction and another as “mineral area of search” in its Local Plan – the council’s planning blueprint for the next 15 years.
If the plan is implemented, the sites will have outline planning permission for quarrying.
The largest area involves stretches from the edge of Eunice Lane in Upper Cumberworth – including a playing field area – to Lower Cumberworth and to the edge of Bromley Park estate in Denby Dale.
The second is on the opposite side of Cumberworth Lane and covers an area surrounding Bromley Farm. Land near Birdsedge and between Park Head Lane and Dearne Dike Lane are also affected.
Laura Clark, who lives near one of the proposed sites at Eunice Lane, Upper Cumberworth, is raising a petition which is expected to get about 100 signatures objecting to the plans.
She said the proposals were “hugely detrimental” to the area – but that a lot of people in the villages were not aware of the plans.
She said the council’s arguments for designating the area for quarrying were “weak” and ran counter to its stated policies of improving health for local people, protecting recreational facilities, securing a safe transport network, protecting the character of the landscape and conserving the historic environment.
She said: “Being close to residential areas, the developments are likely to have a negative impact on health as a result of dust and noise pollution.”
She said the Eunice Lane playing field and numerous public footpaths would be destroyed while Cumberworth Lane between Upper and Lower Cumberworth was a narrow road and unsuitable for a significant increase in large trucks.
One site bordered the Conservation Area of Upper Cumberworth with much of the area clearly visible from the roadsides, public footpaths and houses.
The site also bordered housing, some of the properties being more than 300 years old, as well as being only a few metres away from listed building St Nicholas Church and its grounds.
Laura added: “The unique landscape and character of the Cumberworth area is under threat Birds Edge neighbours Wendy Burrell (left), Joanne Alsop and children Seth and Arthur, Paul and Sandra Mitchell, Tony Smith and David Smith who would be affected by the plan and, as residents, all our lives will be affected.”
Residents of Birdsedge are also opposing the plans. The Burrell family, of Dearne Grange, say the proposed quarry off Cumberworth Lane and Park Head Lane could be dug just a few metres from their front gate. A further 17 homes will be just 100m from the site while Birdsedge First School will be 500m away.