Controversial proposals to transform 44 acres of farmland into a quarry will ‘destroy’ a village near Selby, say residents.
The environmental chaos which the quarry will create will cause lasting damage to the peaceful hamlet of Lumby they say.
Worried residents have now launched a campaign to halt the quarry, which is on designated Green Belt land to the west of the village by the A63.
The quarry will also impact on the neighbouring villages of Hillam and Monk Fryston, according to campaigners, with increased traffic and dust.
The key fears include visual intrusion, damage to landscapes and wildlife, increased heavy traffic, smoke, noise, dust, loss of land and a deterioration in water quality.
The quarry is proposed by the Huddersfield-based Stone Cliffe Aggregates. Stone Cliffe hopes to quarry 2.7m tonnes of limestone on the Green Belt land.
Residents have arranged a public meeting to discuss the plans, now in with North Yorkshire Council, at South Milford’s Women’s Institute on Thursday 29 June.
A spokesperson from P.L.A.N.E.T. (Protect Lumby Against New Environmental Threats), said: “This is a deeply unwelcome proposal on so many levels.
“It is completely inappropriate that this area should be exposed to such a destructive development.
“There are serious health implications for local residents as well as the many environmental concerns.
“We feel we are being sacrificed on the altar of unfettered greed. The only motive for destroying important Green Belt land in Lumby is private profit.
“It is utterly irresponsible and utterly wrong and the villagers of Lumby, together with those in the immediate area, will do everything we can to stop this development.”
They said that the record of the old North Yorkshire County Council was “very worrying”, giving planning permission for every single one of more than 20 applications this century.
The Huddersfield-based aggregates firm has also applied to import inert waste to the site, which is only 300 metres from Lumby, to create a low-level aggregate processing plant with buildings with a plan to eventually restore the quarry to farmland.
The firm state the mineral will be worked “by ripping rather than blasting to reduce vibration and air over-pressure concerns” in a west to easterly direction so as to screen the workings from the village. Due to the timescale of the project (19 years), these will be long-term temporary impacts.”
North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director of planning, Trevor Watson, said:
“As with all planning applications, it will be considered on its own merits.
“It will be carefully assessed against national policy and guidance, local policy and emerging policy.
“Representations from statutory consultees along with views expressed by groups, organisations and individuals will all be taken into account.”
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