Business allowed to increase stone exports
PLANS for a Cotswold quarry to increase the amount of stone it exports in a village where residents “can’t open their windows due to dust” have been approved.
Johnston Quarry Group wants permission to increase its current limit at Oathill Quarry in Fiddlers Green, Temple Guiting.
It was restricted to 50,000 tonnes and has now been granted permission to increase to 100,000 tonnes yearly for the next three years.
The proposals were originally considered by Gloucestershire County Council’s planning committee at Shire Hall on September 28, 2023.
But a decision on the planning application, which includes retrospective consent for staff offices and welfare facilities, was deferred.
Councillors felt they could not make a decision without a detailed transport plan for the site as the number of heavy goods vehicle trips to and from the quarry would double.
But the committee agreed to approve the scheme. Dozens of objections had been lodged and the scheme was also opposed by Temple Guiting Parish Council.
They include concerns such as the cumulative impact of more lorries through the village.
Parish councillor Stephen Gower spoke against the proposals at Shire Hall and raised concerns over the findings of a study which looked at dust and noise levels generated by a cluster of quarries near the B4077.
He said the report suggested the number of HGV movements should actually be reduced.
County councillor Mark Mackenzie-charrington (C, Stowon-the-wold) also spoke against the plans and said he feared it was “a case of closing the stable door after the horse had bolted”.
He said the committee was only looking at the transport implications of the proposals as all other issues had been deemed acceptable.
He said the number of HGV movements in the area had reached an unacceptable level.
“Early morning noise, vibration, volume of HGVS, dust, damage to the roadside and loss of quiet enjoyment,” he said.
Cllr Mackenzie-charrington recognised the importance of quarries but stressed they “must not ride roughshod” over the local community.
He told the previous meeting that dust was so bad in nearby villages such as Ford that residents cannot open their windows nor sit in their gardens.
“[They] have to regularly wash down their houses and cars to reduce dust. In winter months, dust is replaced with mud.”
The committee voted to approve the proposals which will allow up to 100 HGV movements a day in August and September.
The transport management plan also says there will be a maximum of 30 daily HGV movements in January and December, 40 in February, May, June, July, October and November and 50 during March and April.