Campaigners lambast decision to reopen a quarry near Frome

Hanson UK (now Heidelberg Materials) put forward four sets of plans back in 2021 to reopen Westdown Quarry, which lies just off the A361 between Frome and Shepton Mallet.

Each of the four applications identified different parcels of land which could be quarried or used for storing soil and other waste materials – one of which was the ‘quarry void’ near the locally cherished Asham Wood.

Local campaigners and Green Party councillors had cause for celebration in May after the company withdrew plans to redevelop the Asham Wood section of the site.

But this celebration has turned to dismay after Somerset Council’s strategic planning committee voted to approve the other three applications by a comfortable margin.

Simon Clarke from the Somerset Wildlife Trust was among the objectors who addressed the committee when it met in Shepton Mallet on Thursday afternoon (June 6).

He said: “We are not clear on the phasing of mitigation measures and whether sufficient time will be given to habitat establishment.

“At a time of climate and ecological emergency, key policy considerations such as climate change and biodiversity net gain must be taken into account.”

The floor of Westdown Quarry near Frome. (Image: Daniel Mumby)

Since the Somerset Minerals Plan was last reviewed, two additional quarries have opened in the county – meaning many of the plan’s assumptions about demand and extraction levels may be out of date.

Part of the proposal includes the excavation of 168 acres of “wildlife rich landscape” in and around Westdown Farm, to the north of the A361.

More than 1,100 people had sent letters to the council objecting to the proposals in advance of the hearing, citing a range of factors.

Helen Kenny, of Wanstrow, said: “The roads in the area are not designed to handle the volume and weight of quarry-related traffic, posing serious safety risks to residents and commuters.

“The recent fatal road accident on May 30 on the A361 Marston Road involving a lorry is an example of the potential issues regarding heavy goods traffic.”

Part of Westdown Farm will be redeveloped under the quarry reopening. (Image: Liz Snook)

Robin Witt, who lives in Whatley, said: “As time passes, each new generation does not know how things once were.

“This year we only have two swallows, go back only ten years and we had about 30.

“We have to keep the few remaining places where wildlife still has a foothold.”

Davin Kenwood, who lives in the same village, added: “I don’t believe Heidelberg will restore the quarry in 2042, given their previous history of just extending the quarrying permissions.

“We already have enough major quarries in the local area providing more than enough stone for the foreseeable future.”

Michael Oatley, who lives in Nunney, said reopening the quarry could have “concerning” implications for the entire Mendip Hills water table.

He said: “Already many of the springs have dried up in surrounding farmland.

“The water in the Nunney Brook and other local streams is completely controlled by the quarries with the water from their holding ponds.

“What happens to these springs when the quarries go below the water table and aquifers?”

Despite these concerns, the committee voted by eight votes to three to approve each of the applications to reopen the quarry site after around two hours’ debate.

Reacting to the news, campaigner Indra Francesco said: “We are devastated. A beautiful place and irreplaceable ecology is about to vanish off the face of the Earth as a result of this decision.

“The increase in traffic on our roads will risk more deaths, people in tourism and hospitality face loosing their jobs as industrialisation increases and many of us have lost faith in the local authorities commitment to its climate targets. It’s a sad day for democracy.”

Chris Maunder added: “The council must be bats*** crazy to allow a developer to rip up farmland and destroy the habitat of rare and protected species for a project that, by its very nature, flies in the face of our need to protect our environment and reduce carbon emissions.

“It also runs contrary to the council’s own declaration of a climate and ecological emergency and will increase the carbon footprint of Somerset quite considerably, through more blasting and an increase in traffic as well as other material removal and processing techniques.

“What is it that causes councillors to make decisions that suit the interests of big business ahead of the environment, of industry ahead of the world we live?”

Former local school teacher Simon Pugh-Jones said he was disappointed with the decision, but was pleased that Asham Wood’s future was at least secure.

He said: “Despite the loss, the campaign is really proud of the work we’ve done together; the legal research we commissioned resulted in the saving of Asham Void, itself a remarkable symbol of resilience.

“For more than a decade I’ve taken classes of school children there to learn about regeneration.

“In a system that’s stacked against us, winning 78 acres of new forest next to a site of special scientific interest is no small achievement.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t stand up to a multinational and win sometimes.”