Objections raised over quarry redevelopment plans

Residents have raised concerns that plans to redevelop a quarry would increase the number of lorries on roads around their village.

Tarmac Aggregates Ltd has submitted plans for a waste processing facility, a ready-mix concrete plant, solar farm and battery energy storage system at Shawell quarry, near Lutterworth in Leicestershire.

Residents in Shawell have said traffic levels at the quarry reduced when sand and gravel reserves neared exhaustion.

But they are concerned the redevelopment will mean the return of more heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) to the area.

Simon Moore, chairman of the Shawell Parish Meeting, said residents were disappointed to learn about the plans, as they expected the site would be returned to its original state when mineral extraction ended at the quarry.

"The sand and gravel extraction has ceased because there are no economically viable minerals left," he said.

"This proposal seeks to extend the site as an industrial facility.

"As far as the residents are concerned, it's not acceptable."

Moore said the development would involve transporting "hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste" to the site.

He also expressed concern it would lead to extra traffic on local roads, particularly around Gibbet Hill roundabout, which National Highways acknowledges has operated at capacity for years and increased traffic on other roads nearby.

"You have long queues of traffic going on to the roundabout on the A5 north and the A426 coming from Lutterworth," he said.

Tarmac's application to Leicestershire County Council includes plans for 11 elements across the 360-acre (145.8 hectare) site.

It includes the demolition of existing structures, a new facility to convert non-recyclable waste into fuel, a plant to process construction and demolition waste, a commercial solar farm and battery energy storage system (BESS) and infrastructure for renewable fuel.

Planning documents state Shawell quarry is a historic quarrying operation which dates back to the 1950s and is currently focused on landfill and restoration work.

No decision date has been listed on the county council's planning portal, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has reported.

Tarmac Aggregates has been contacted for comment.

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