Controversial Kidderminster quarry could still be allowed to go ahead

Worcestershire County Council’s planning committee narrowly rejected a plan to build a three million tonne sand and gravel quarry at Lea Castle Farm off Wolverley Road near Kidderminster in May but an appeal has now been launched with the government’s planning inspector in a bid to get the decision overturned.

The plan by NRS Aggregates would see 100,000 tonnes of sand and gravel extracted every year for the next decade at a ten-acre site around 900 metres away from Wolverley and less than a mile-and-a-half from Kidderminster town centre.

The planning committee was divided with some calling for support including planning chair Cllr Ian Hardiman, who represents the Cookley, Wolverley and Wribbenhall division where the quarry would have been built, saying the digging would be “only temporary.”

Campaigners making a stand against the quarry plans

Committee vice-chair Linda Robinson also threw her support behind the plan saying the county needed new homes and it would be better if the materials to build them were obtained in the county rather than delivered from elsewhere.

However, several other councillors spoke against the plan including Cllr Chris Rogers, who represents Stourport-on-Severn, who said he could not see how the quarry would bring any benefit to the local community or economy and should not be built near thousands of potential homes.

Cllr Marcus Hart, who represents the neighbouring Chaddesley division, said there were “concrete” reasons to reject the plan and he had “grave and profound concerns” about the green belt and the thousands of residents who live near the site.

Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier previously spoke out against the "hated" plans and said he would work with cross-party colleagues to "change the laws on how much dust is acceptable around communities".