Historic England and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust voice concerns over Cemex plan for quarry near Baston

Wildlife and heritage groups have added their ‘serious concerns’ over plans to build a new quarry.

Cemex want to dig a sand and gravel quarry at Thetford Farm Estate, north-west of Baston, to replace the West Deeping site which they say is ‘near exhaustion’.

Proposals for the 83-hectare site, which could see 49 hectares of land dug up, have met with widespread opposition from nearby villagers, and Historic England and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust (LWT) were the latest to have their say before the public consultation ended earlier this month.

Historic England have ‘serious concerns’ that the proposed site cuts across Car Dyke, a 57-mile Roman watercourse which runs between the River Witham and River Nene, parts of which are listed as national monuments.

They want the plans amended to temporarily bridge the Car Dyke rather than cut it, and if these changes were not made to ‘regard this an objection on heritage grounds’.

The LWT have lodged a ‘strong objection’ and said the closeness of the proposed quarry to a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) at Baston and Thurlby Fens, and the Baston Fen Special Area of Conservation (SAC) was a ‘major concern’.

“This area represents historical washland habitat and the majority of Lincolnshire’s fenland, two highly-protected habitat types,” the letter concluded.

The trust said that as well as the proximity to designated sites and other ‘delicate’ wetland habitats, the quarry would include an area of fenland and also border the River Glen which feeds the SSSI.

The trust is concerned at how lowering the water table, as stated in the application, will affect the River Glen and the surrounding protected habitat.

Lincolnshire County Council received more than 100 letters of objection to the plans from residents, mainly about air and noise pollution, increased HGV traffic, and the impact on wildlife.

The planning application is on Lincolnshire County Council’s website with the reference PL/0070/23. It can be found at: tinyurl.com/BastonQuarry

Parish councils in Baston, Langtoft, Thurlby and Deeping St James also lodged their objections, as did Bourne Town Council.

Public meetings were held locally and protests were held outside an exhibition of the plans, mainly from parents of pupils at the village school which they believe will be impacted by quarry dust.