Quarry extension plans in rural North Lincolnshire have been deferred again.
Welton Aggregates Ltd run Slate House Quarry, located between Hibaldstow and Redbourne, which produces limestone products. Welton want to extend onto agricultural land north and east.
Local residents and the two villages’ parish councils have objected. Villagers say site lorries go past them, despite there being a specially-built haul road.
Councillors delayed a decision last month to do a site visit. This was despite a previous site visit to decide on, and refuse, a concrete batching proposal.
The quarry extension proposal has been deferred again, to allow time to work out conditions to make it acceptable. Welton Aggregates’ owner and managing director Jan Faulkner-Smith told North Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee he was willing to listen. However, he disputed his company’s lorries were travelling via the B1206 / Redbourne Road, or Mill Road.
‘Our communities have had enough’
A number of residents reported that, since January’s planning meeting, concrete blocks had been put in to deter HGVs from using the quarry site’s direct access to Redbourne Road. “It has taken over 15 years for this applicant to recognise the impact on communities”, said one residen.
The quarry was revived in 2009 after a planning appeal. The inspector placed a condition requiring a haul road. But the condition’s wording on its use has allegedly made it virtually impossible to enforce.
“Today, the Welton lorries have again moved through the village,” said another resident. “How many more years of my life and other people’s lives reporting planning breaches and wasting taxpayers’ money on enforcement officers having to investigate these issues?”
Quarry owner disputes lorry claims
“The thing I deal with is facts, not fiction,” said Mr Faulkner-Smith, owner and operator of quarries for 27 years. “I’ve heard today about my lorries going down Mill Road,” he said.
“My lorries have trackers on them. My lorries are not going down there.” He claimed lorries from other businesses were.
Before the latest planning committee, Welton submitted willingness for a restriction preventing HGV use of their direct access to Redbourne Road. Mr Faulkner-Smith went further and, referring to an objector’s idea, said: “In my opinion, Mill Road should have a weight restriction put on it.”
He promised greater personal oversight. “I give my word to everybody, I will be up to Hibaldstow at least once a week.”
The extension was sought as material to extract was running out. If refused, the quarry would have to downsize, he said, “which will mean we’re going to have to make people redundant”.
(Image: Google Streetview)
Haul road ‘very full of potholes’
Mr Faulkner-Smith said he had spoken to Ridge Ward Cllr Trevor Foster who said the conversations were “quite decent”.
However, he believed Mr Faulkner-Smith’s “version of how Hibaldstow quarry has been and is being run is way off the mark, unfortunately”.
Cllr John Davison (Bottesford Ward) said, on the site visit, his sat nav directed him onto the haul road. “I have been in civils all my working life and that road to me is a temporary haul road, it would not service the life of the quarry.” He called for the “very full of potholes” road to be properly surfaced.
Chair Cllr Nigel Sherwood (Brigg and Wolds) proposed deferment as he felt “it would be appropriate” to give time to council officers, highways and the applicant to work on restrictions. It got unanimous backing.
Join the FREE Grimsby Live WhatsApp Community
Get all the latest stories, sent straight to your WhatsApp – all you need to do is click the link.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
