Kirkwhelpington villagers oppose crushed rock quarry plan

Villagers in Northumberland have formed a campaign group opposing plans to open a crushed rock quarry near a conservation area.

A Newcastle-based firm has applied for permission from Northumberland County Council to extract four million tonnes of dolerite from a site close to Kirkwhelpington.

The quarry would be operational for 20 years, creating 20 "long-term" jobs.

Opponents argue winds will blow noise, debris and grime into the village.

The Kirkwhelpington Residents Against Needless Extraction group say Northumberland has enough dolerite to last for nearly 50 years and that the proposed development is too close to homes.

Campaigner Anne Palmer said having the quarry 2,300ft (700m) from the conservation area would turn the "quiet little village" into a "site of heavy industry".

"We recognise that stone is needed for road building, but we understand that there's plenty of resource elsewhere.

"I'm very worried about it because it will change the character of the village and my home."

The application was submitted in May and has attracted 72 objections from members of the public, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

These include people from nearby Ponteland on the grounds the A696 road is already extremely busy and the quarry would create more traffic.

The National Trust has also objected, noting it is concerned about the impact on the historic estate at Wallington Hall and on the River Wansbeck, which it says is a vital habitat for native freshwater crayfish.

Applicant North East Concrete estimates "blasting" will be required on a monthly basis to extract the hard stone.

However, it also points out that the site has been allocated for the extraction of crushed rock in the Northumberland Local Plan adopted earlier this year.

The family-owned company has previously operated sand and gravel sites near Rothbury and Powburn, which it says were "worked and restored to a high standard."

The council has placed a determination deadline on the application of 13 August.

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].