Fears controversial quarry plans could increase crime and traffic in Shropshire village

The Newport Society, which is opposing the project earmarked for Chetwynd Aston, said that plans to extract sand and gravel from a site off Pave Lane would impact on health and wellbeing and could result in a loss of biodiversity.

The group's complaint is the latest of more than 100 objections to the plans.

The society wrote: "There are big concerns about the level of noise which will be totally unacceptable for anyone living near the proposed quarry and beyond.

"When the noise consultant was asked if people working nights would be able to sleep during the day with this level of the noise, he all but agreed that the noise would be prohibitive to enable daytime sleep.

"Vehicle movements are planned between the hours of 6am and 7pm Monday to Friday and 7am and 1pm on a Saturday. This will mean constant noise and dust.

"Industrial activity on this scale over many years will greatly impact on the quality of life due to unacceptable noise and dust pollution as well as diesel fumes from vehicles and other machinery.

"The area of the planned quarry is full of wildlife, bees, birds – woodpeckers, jays, finches, robins and wrens – and there are also bats which are freely seen of an evening. We have already seen a massive loss of species in this country in the past 30 to 40 years, especially in birdlife, and pollinators are massively under threat. This application, if it were to be approved by some mischance, would add yet more destruction to the biodiversity of this part of Shropshire. It is already very difficult to access the A41 Pave Lane junction due to the speed of vehicles driving along the A41."

The group said that an increase of more than 160 vehicles a day will make problems worse – especially as the figure doesn't include other business-related traffic to the site.

They wrote: "All these vehicles can further increase the risk of accidents. The community is already aware of the increase in rural crime. It would be likely that with more machinery and equipment would come yet more crime."

"Shropshire is one of the most rural and sparsely populated counties and as such is beautiful with rolling countryside and greenfields. Newport has been overwhelmed recently with new mass house building development on greenfield land.

"Why should this beautiful countryside become a dump for building waste and materials?"

Jon Stump, finance director for applicant Mick George Ltd, has previously said it is hoped the work can be completed with minimal impact on the neighbouring countryside.