Delay over decision on quarry near Denton prolongs residents’ anxiety

Extensions given to the applicant of a quarry south of Denton, have ‘served only to prolong the levels of anxiety’, say campaigners.

Plans for a limestone quarry and infill site on 84.6 hectares off Gorse Lane, were submitted last May by Mick George Ltd. However, a decision is yet to be made by Lincolnshire County Council, who called for further details from the applicants.

Originally a deadline of November 27 was given, but this was pushed back to enable research into groundwater to take into account all of the winter months.

Gorse Lane Quarry Action Group chairman, Gaile McMillan, said: “The additional time Mick George Ltd has taken to answer the Regulation 22 questions from the county council has served only to prolong the levels of anxiety in the local communities.

She added: “This is an inappropriate, unnecessary and unsustainable development, putting our communities and environment under needless threat. We are continuing our campaign with renewed vigour as this applications approaches its final determination. We do appreciate, however, the detail to which the county council has gone to inform its deliberations and final decision.”

LCC confirmed that they have now received the extra information. Marc Willis, applications team leader, added: “People who have already commented will be written to and invited to make further submissions in response to this additional information, if they wish. Once the consultation has been completed, we should be in a position to make a decision, which we expect to happen later in the year.”