Public consultation has now closed
Thank you to everyone who has objected and shown support to our campaign. We’re waiting to hear on next steps and will share on here as soon as we have an update.
We’ve been advised that there are many objections - 1,100 and still counting. There have been important objections from Nottingham Wildlife Trust, Holme Pit Action Group, the Council’s own Landscape Officer, East Midlands Airport and Cadent (who manage the gas main at the site).
You can view the objections at the NCC site (using the yellow button below) and we have also got some key objections on the More information page.
The background:
We’re campaigning against the distruction of the ancient woodlands that run between Barton in Fabis, the River Trent and Clifton Woods, Nottinghamshire.
It’s a beautiful, peaceful area of countryside. A last remaining pocket, used by so many in the area recreationally. And the quarry space and processing site requires a huge space, which will be squeezed into an area with 26,000 people living within 1.5km of it!
Why was there a second period of public consultation?
The County Council met with the Applicant to give them a chance to revise their application in the light of comments and questions raised by the various consultees. This is known as a 'Supplementary Information Request under Regulation 25'. The areas where more information is required are numerous and indicate that the information provided was not adequate or robust enough - a letter from the Council outlining these issues can be found on the More information page.
The Applicant had until November 30th to respond to the Information Request. The further information was submitted and can be found with the rest of the original application at the planning website - see below for link at the Notts County Council website.
That meant there was a further period of formal consultation. This has closed now and we know from the Council that there were a huge number of objections - so many that they’re still being processed so we don’t know how many yet.
We also don’t know exactly what will happen next and when - and we’ll confirm here and on our Facebook page as soon as we hear.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and to stay in touch. We’re bolstered by all the support.
Please note: button takes you to a disclaimer first
Why are we opposed to the quarry?
Ever since it was first proposed in 2014, the local communities have opposed the development of a quarry which would cover all the land between Barton in Fabis alongside the Trent as far as Clifton Woods.
This site would have an estimated life of 12 years and an output of 200,000 tonnes every year and would not be restored and established for up to 25 years.
We managed to delay an initial planning application in 2017 and a revised planning application in 2021 was withdrawn in 2022 after another successful campaign.
How the area looks now:
What it could look like if the quarry goes ahead, this is the applicant’s other quarry:
The effect on people and communities
26,000 people live within 1.5km of the site.
This site will create a lot of dust! It will have a worrying impact on air quality in a populated area.
No consideration has been given to the residents of Lark Hill Retirement Village, which the site will overlook - 40% of residents have breathing difficulties. The residents have had the threat of this quarry hang over them for 10 years of their retirement now!
Gravel extraction will involve huge, heavy and noisy machinery operating on the site 6 days a week and 11 hours a day. Dewatering pumps will at times run day and night.
The site will require a giant processing site at Mill Hill with 29,000 lorry movements each year and will significantly add to already problematic traffic levels.
Attenborough nature reserve is 70m from the edge of the site, which attracts more than 600,000 visitors annually.
The footpath between Clifton and Barton is heavily used by walkers, cyclists, runners and horse riders and no alternative is possible.
We have the support of all our local County, Borough and City Councillors and our MPs Lilian Greenwood and Ruth Edwards. But we really need your support too!
The effect on the environment
This proposal would devastate 79 hectares (200 acres) of prime wildlife habitat and feeding grounds for birds using Attenborough Nature Reserve.
The whole valley area between the river and Clifton Woods would be destroyed for at least 12 years and even then, would never be the same.
The peace and quiet of this countryside that many enjoy would be permanently damaged – remember how many people valued that during lockdown and continue to do so!
There are many red list (critically endangered) and even more amber list species potentially impacted by the development of the site.
The quarry will have a huge impact on Two Sites of Special Scientific Interest - SSSIs (Attenborough Nature Reserve and Holme Pit) and 7 Local Wildlife Sites are directly or indirectly impacted by the proposed development.
The surrounding woodlands are officially designated as ‘Ancient Woodlands’ and would be impacted by habitat loss, noise, light and dust.
There is extensive ancient ‘ridge and furrow’ land adjacent to the proposed site that will be affected.
The development would result in substantial harm during the operational phase to the setting of the Grade 1 listed Clifton Hall.
It doesn’t make sense!
Nottingham County Council’s own analysis showed that this site is the least sustainable of all the potential sites considered in the county both during the operational phase and in the long term.
There is no significant advantage to this site over other potential sites in the South of the County and neighbouring counties in terms of the market for aggregates.
Nottinghamshire already has enough supplies of sand and gravel to last 15 years (over twice the government target of 7 years) and demand is falling.
AND
It will not stop there, if planning permission is granted then in future years the County Council is likely to approve extensions which would further affect surrounding areas such as Barton in Fabis, Thrumpton and towards Nottingham city.