Quarry could be approved at former RAF airfield in Down Ampney
Hills Quarry Products Plans to create a quarry at a former airfield look set to be approved despite concerns it could endanger aircraft.
Hills Quarry Products wants permission from Gloucestershire County Council to redevelop the former RAF airfield in Down Ampney.
Their plans are due to be considered by the planning committee on Friday.
The company hopes to extract about 6.5m tonnes of sand and gravel over 13 years.
Shire Hall officers have recommended approving the scheme subject to a prior agreement to secure the implementation of a wildlife hazard management.
This is to allay concerns of the Ministry of Defence that due to the site's proximity to RAF Fairford the development could increase the likelihood of bird strikes.
Hills Quarry Products The site is just under a mile to the south west of RAF Fairford, which is a military aerodrome operated by the United States Air Force.
The MOD's Defence Infrastructure Organisation detailed its concerns in a letter to the council in September 2021.
"The development proposed entails the stripping of topsoil, the extraction, working and storage of minerals, and the phased restoration of the site," the letter said.
"Each of these activities have the potential to create an environment that would be attractive to those large and/or flocking bird species hazardous to aviation safety."
If approved, the site will use 41.5 acres for a water and silt management area and include 143.8 acres of existing woodland and proposed initial woodland planting.
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