Lorries accessing new quarry near Baston would have 'intolerable impact' on villagers' lives

Lorries rumbling through a village to gain access to a new quarry would have an “intolerable impact” on residents’ lives.

That’s according to Baston Parish Council which has objected to an application to extract three million tons of gravel and sand over 15 years on nearby agricultural land.

The 55-hectare site is located between Baston, Langtoft and Greatford, adjacent to King Street.

Wendy Gray, parish clerk, wrote in a letter to Lincolnshire County Council’s planning department that Baston councillors had “strong reservations”.

“Our chief concern is about the inevitable increase of HGV traffic to and from the site along King Street, Greatford Road and through Baston village,” she said.

“King Street is patently unsuitable for any increase of HGV traffic due to its restricted width and being bounded on both sides by deep drainage dykes. Baston village already suffers from excessive HGV traffic using Main Street/Outgang Road as a shortcut.

“Any further increase in HGV traffic would have an intolerable impact upon the lives of villagers.”

Dozens of people living in the surrounding villages have also lodged objections, as has Thurlby Parish Council.

A transport statement submitted to the county council to address the possible impact on roads calculates there would be an average of 80 HGV movements a day coming in and out of the quarry.

But it states this would not constitute a “severe impact” on the local roads network and concluded there were no grounds to refuse the application for transport or highways reasons.

The report, carried out by David Tucker Associates, also analysed accident data for the last five years which showed there had been three fatal accidents, although none had involved HGVs.

To ease traffic pressure and ensure road safety, all outgoing lorries would have to turn right and avoid villages to the west “when possible”.

And all inbound vehicles would have to approach from the south and “will be signposted via either Greatford Road (Baston) or from the south”.

One resident of Baston, Robin Jones, sent this newspaper a photo of a car parked legally on Greatford Road.

He said: “Please tell me how a HGV will squeeze past this, 40 to 50 times a day? If not a car, it would be a post office van or a delivery vehicle blocking the way. There is also a notorious lack of visibility at the junctions at both ends of Greatford Road.

"What I would like to know is , if the council are minded to give this the go-ahead, what restrictions will they impose and how will it be policed?

"I'm not saying 'stop the quarry', I'm saying 'think about what you are doing'. As it stands, this could end up being hell on earth for anyone living in the surrounding villages."

He added: “To have this extra HGV traffic imposed on Baston for 16 years is, as far as I am concerned, against natural justice, not to mention common sense.”

The applicant, Charles Lane of OHL Ltd, has been approached for comment. The plans will likely be considered by the county council’s planning committee in October.