The proposal for a new quarry in Caistor by Welton Aggregates has just been given the go-ahead by Lincolnshire County Council’s planning committee despite substantial local opposition. The plan intends to extract 150,000 tonnes of sand from the land located south of North Kelsey Road, in order to meet the county’s rising demand.
During a council meeting held on Monday, agent Oliver Craven, who is representing the applicant, outlined a number of stipulated conditions to address residents’ worries regarding noise, dust, and potential impact on local roads. Some concerns were raised by Councillor Stephen Bunny regarding the safety implications of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) using narrow lanes, which could pose threat to pedestrians and cyclists.
Moreover, Councillor James Bean queried the precautions being taken to safeguard the region’s historic buildings from any possible damage owing to vibrations. The proposal was met with a flood of 130 comments which were largely negative, unveiling the community’s anxiety regarding this project.
In response, Mr Craven assured the council meeting that the applicant is agreeable to a routing arrangement to bypass the originally proposed southern routes. He also consented to a planning condition that limits the number of HGVs. Notwithstanding public disapproval, Councillor Matthew Boles argued that the company complied with all planning procedures. He cautioned that the refusal based on current objections might possibly lead to a failed appeal.
The Lincoln Post adapted this story from the original report by www.bbc.com.
