Residents oppose 'horrifying' plans for Ashton Keynes quarry

Wiltshire Council refused the plans in January, but in what the residents say is a “shocking U-turn”, it has now come to an agreement with developer Earthline and will no longer be fighting the appeal.

Ashton Keynes Parish Council says it was not consulted on this decision and is scrambling together to defend its objection to the planning inspector in a matter of weeks.

The chairman described it as a “complete bombshell” that would have a “devastating effect” on the village.

Previous flooding at the site. (Image: public contribution)The quarry would be set within a site of 27.2 hectares, including fields to the east of the High Road, as well as fields to the west of the High Road across to the B4696 Ashton Road, where the processing plant would be located.

With the application stretching across water bodies already prone to flooding, residents are concerned about the impact of the work, which is proposed over a period of up to nine years.

View of flooding from a resident's garden towards the proposed quarry site. (Image: Jessica Moriarty) Anne Senior said: "It’s horrifying to think that I will spend half my remaining life expectancy in the middle of a noisy, dirty quarry site.”

Natasha Inzani stated: “No-one, not even our own councillor, Chuck Berry, knew that negotiations with Earthline had been going on behind closed doors to agree the ‘conditions’ under which the project would be operated.”

Ali Bone claimed: “It's a disaster waiting to happen for local residents who face the potential of their homes being flooded, for the wildlife that inhabits the area such as otters and water voles, and for anyone who relies on a healthy river Thames further downstream.”

Ashton Keynes was judged to be the Best Kept Large Village this year. (Image: Jessica Moriarty) Piers Heelis added: “It is rural vandalism and environmental folly at its most blatant.”

Dom Ventham said: “The pride we had in winning Wiltshire's best kept large village this month evaporated overnight when we heard about the council's about-turn decision.

“We just feel really let down by Wiltshire Council.”

Ashton Keynes is located 12 miles north of Swindon. (Image: Jessica Moriarty) Cllr Chuck Berry agreed that the council’s decision had come as a surprise and that the communication between involved parties was not as he had hoped.

He also suggested that insufficient attention had been afforded to the residents’ concerns.

Cllr Gavin Grant described it as a “failing of process within the planning team” that has left residents and the parish council “high and dry”.

A map showing the distance between the site and the residents' homes. (Image: Earthline) He said: “I think we need a fundamental change of culture here so that all of these matters are transparent.”

He added: “In other areas this whole process sees a much higher level of democratic accountability, a much higher level of engagement and transparency with communities and with their representatives.”

Cllr Grant concluded that the parish council has been “shut out” and left in an “impossible position” with “very little chance of success”.

The residents are urging those who want to attend the hearing to make this known to the Planning Inspectorate case officer by October 4. (Image: Jessica Moriarty) Dave Wingrove, chairman of Ashton Keynes Parish Council, said: “We are desperately keen to mount our own challenge to the revised situation, but we simply cannot do this in the current timeframe.

“We are therefore seeking to get the inspector’s inquiry delayed.”

The application that Earthline submitted to Wiltshire Council stated: "The extraction of the resource at Wheatleys Farm is necessary to ensure a steady and adequate supply of an important mineral in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework."

It added: "Given the current sand and gravel landbank situation in the county, this planning application should be determined at the earliest opportunity to allow extraction and restoration to commence.

"Doing so will help to secure a continued local supply of building material for planned construction projects in the locality and avoid the need to transport from outside the county."

Cllr Nick Botterill, cabinet member for strategic planning at Wiltshire Council, said: “As part of Earthline Ltd’s appeal they have provided technical reports in relation to flood risk; the impacts on heritage assets and archaeology; how noise and dust impacts could be avoided; how the visual impact of residents would be protected; how areas of biodiversity interest and protected species would be affected; and how the proposed floodplain meadow restoration scheme would be achieved.

“These technical assessments demonstrate to Wiltshire Council that the impacts could be effectively managed, meaning that Wiltshire Council’s reasons for refusal have now been addressed.

“However, this does not mean that local residents cannot attend the inquiry or submit evidence themselves if they feel that this would harm their quality of life.

“The Planning Inspector will consider all issues before reaching a decision.”

Earthline has also been contacted for comment.