Quarry plan approved despite safety fears
GooglePlans to develop a quarry near the A15 in Lincolnshire have been approved despite road safety concerns.
More than two million tonnes of sand and gravel will be extracted from the quarry at Thetford House Farm in Baston over a 10-year period.
Lincolnshire County councillors previously heard that about 400 objections were submitted against the application and members were concerned about the number of additional HGVs which would be using the A15 to access the site.
Emma Pearman, development planner for the applicant Cemex UK Operations Ltd, said the need for sand and gravel in Lincolnshire was "critical".
Pearman also said the county's "landbank" of the materials is currently below the recommended seven-year supply.
'A lot safer'
The application was originally considered at a meeting on 9 February but was deferred to allow councillors time to visit the site.
At a meeting on Monday, Baston Parish Council chairman, Adrian Clarke, said councillors did not visit the site at a time when the A15 was at its "busiest and most congested".
Clarke said: "That said, we hope you now appreciate how dangerous this entrance and exit will be onto a 60mph road. It is unsuitable and will be an accident waiting to happen."
Councillor Kenneth Redfern told the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting that he was reassured the site would be safe enough.
He said when he visited the site the exit "seemed so big, so wide".
Redfern said he had originally been against the application but felt the applicant had listened to concerns raised at the previous meeting.
He added: "I'm happy with the restrictions for the lorries not turning right. That makes it a lot safer for those certain busy periods."
The new quarry would replace an existing facility at King Street in West Deeping, which is "nearing exhaustion", according to the applicant.
Listen to highlights fromLincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch thelatest episode of Look North.
Download the BBC News app from the App Storefor iPhone and iPad orGoogle Play for Android devices
