Protected status granted to quarry buffer woodland

A large woodland separating homes from a mineral quarry has been given official protection, although councillors warned it could still be at risk in future.

Teignbridge Council's planning committee voted unanimously for a permanent Tree Preservation Order (TPO) on the site at Kingsteignton after a temporary order was introduced last August.

Councillors said the order was intended to prevent unnecessary loss of woodland, but that it could not override longstanding planning permission allowing clay extraction rights at the quarry.

Mining firm Sibelco, which operates the quarry, is one of the largest employers in the Newton Abbot area and extracts ball clay used in bathroom fixtures and tiles.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Devon County Council granted permission for ball clay extraction at the Zitherixon quarry near Kingsteignton in 1999 and that consent still applied.

The TPO requires any tree removal to be proportionate and aligned with wider planning and environmental objectives.

The Save Our Trees group said the woodland, covering an area equivalent to about 60 football pitches, was "priceless" and must be preserved.

Councillor Phil Bullivant told the committee the council was taking appropriate steps to protect trees but did not have the power to prevent future redevelopment.

The council received 170 messages supporting the TPO and two objections, including one from Sibelco and one from a local fishing club.

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