Today, Cllr Ben Brookes, as Vice Chairman of Wolverley & Cookley Parish Council spoke against the appeal at the 2nd Public Inquiry on the Planning for a Quarry at the Lea Castle Farm site.  His contribution is as follows:

I am Cllr. Ben Brookes, and I am the Vice Chairman of Wolverley & Cookley Parish Council. I am here before you today in place of my late colleague, Councillor Simon Sherrey, who represented the Parish Council at the previous appeal hearing.

For several years now, the Parish Council has listened to the concerns and objections of local residents regarding this quarry application. Our position has remained clear and consistent: we strongly oppose the quarry’s proposed location, which would be situated directly alongside and between the housing of the two villages of Wolverley and Cookley.

To date, the Parish Council has submitted four detailed objections to this proposal, each highlighting critical issues:

• The first response in March 2020 recommended refusal on the grounds of its inappropriate location within the Green Belt, potential loss of green space, increased traffic, noise, dust pollution, and the serious adverse impact on local schools, particularly for children walking to school.
• The second response in September 2021 reaffirmed the original objections, emphasizing how the quarry would directly harm the well-being of local businesses, schools, and residents, further eroding the character of our communities.
• The third response in December 2022 outlined additional concerns, including the quarry’s unacceptable impact on the Green Belt’s openness, residential amenity, the local economy, and the local highway network. Councillor Sherrey went into great detail at the previous public hearing, addressing these four key areas.
• The fourth response earlier this year reiterated our objections, with particular attention to the late addendum submitted by NRS, which we feel highlighted concerns over the proposed scheme's viability.

One key difference between this hearing and the last are the purported "improvements" to the application. The revised, lower height of the plant and the slightly reduced height of a handful of bunds are minor adjustments. They do not change the fundamental problems with the proposal.

For instance, NRS claims that the mineral processing plant is now smaller and has a reduced operational noise level. However, crucial details are missing: We are not told how much raw material this smaller plant will process, or whether it will take longer to do so. This raises important questions about the actual operational impact of the plant.

NRS also mentions a reduction in the number, height, and/or duration of temporary soil storage/screening bunds. However, these changes are minimal—only two bunds are reduced from 6m to 3m, and four others from 4m to 3m. These small adjustments will not mitigate the substantial negative effects of the quarry on the openness of the Green Belt, or its impact on our villages, schools, and businesses.

The Parish Council continues to stand firm in its opposition to this quarry. The proposed location remains unacceptable, and the slight modifications offered by NRS do not address the profound concerns we have raised.

The surrounding area has changed significantly in the past two years—housing developments have increased, as has traffic and associated pollution, putting more pressure on the community and the safety of our children. This development would only exacerbate these issues.

The Parish Council has been resolute in its position: this is the wrong development, in the wrong place.

The strength of feeling in the opposition of this proposal is immense. The two villages are united in their resistance against this quarry. It has been refused by the residents, refused by the parish council, refused by Worcestershire County Council, refused at the first appeal hearing and it should once again be refused now. 

Thank You.