Quarry expansion near Shrewsbury is approved
A quarry near Shrewsbury is set to expand into a neighbouring field after its operators were granted planning permission to extend the site.
Shropshire Council’s southern planning committee met on Tuesday to discuss the latest application by Hanson Quarry Products Europe Ltd relating to Condover Quarry.
The company, which supplies building materials, said the extension into the 54-acre field would increase the operational life of the site, which was first granted permission for quarrying in the 1960s.
Hanson said it expected to extract almost three million tonnes of sand and gravel from the field, northwest of the junction between Condover Road and Allfield Lane, over the next 14 to 15 years.
The company had also warned that if the application was refused, one of its dormant sites at Sleap Airfield or Cound Quarry may have to be reactivated instead.
Committee officer Grahame French told members that Shropshire Aero Club, which occupies Sleap Airfield, had written in support of the application, with the future of the club at risk if Hanson was forced to begin quarrying at the airfield.
Important
Councillors unanimously voted in favour of the application, in line with planning officers’ recommendations.
Councillor Simon Harris said quarries were needed to supply the county’s building trade, with the construction of facilities for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham set to “absorb” minerals from across the region.
Councillor Harris said: “It is really important at the moment that this type of application in my opinion goes forward.
“We have heard how the Commonwealth Games are starting to get under construction, and as minerals start to get drawn into the West Midlands this type of quarrying will be able to support what we require for our infrastructure projects around the county.
“Strategically placed quarries like this are even more important over the next few years.”
A report to the committee said: “The proposed extension would release circa 2.854 million tonnes of high-quality sand and gravel, increasing the operational life of the site by approximately 14 to 15 years at an annual output of 200,000 tonnes per annum.
“Permitted mineral reserves in the existing quarry are nearly exhausted.
“The proposed extension would allow continuation of an existing business which has been in operation for over 55 years.”
