Public inquiry opens after gravel quarry rejection

A public inquiry to decide whether a gravel quarry can be opened in a village will begin to hear evidence later.

Breedon Trading was refused planning permission by Norfolk County Council in May on grounds that the 55-acre site at Haddiscoe would have an adverse impact on the landscape.

In 2014, Earsham Gravels also failed to convince a planning inspector to grant permission for a similar plan for the site, close to St Mary's Church.

The inquiry, to be held at Great Yarmouth Racecourse, is expected to last a few days. Breedon Trading has declined to comment in advance of the inspector reaching their conclusion.

Ben Goldsborough, the Labour MP for South Norfolk, told the House of Commons in January that 242 residents in the village, on the A143 between Gorleston and Beccles, had signed a petition to block the quarry and was a "serious concern".

He said: "This demonstrates an overwhelming majority of residents who wish for the government to know how much this quarry will undermine the health and wellbeing of the village.

"The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the government to consider the planning and minerals strategies, consider issues such as air pollution and local opinion."

In the original planning application, Breedon said it was hoping for rights to extract 650,000 tonnes of gravel over a total of eight years, including a year to complete the site's restoration.

It added: "It is proposed to restore the site back to agriculture at a lower level (i.e., no material will be imported on to site to replace the gravel that's removed).

"Another aim of the restoration is to significantly improve on the biodiversity value of the land compared to its present value as arable land.

"The restoration will create agricultural land gently sloping towards the centre of the site, which is expected to develop as a seasonal pond fringed by wet grassland and scrubby areas."

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