Grundon quarry extension plans thrown out

The firm said it was disappointed with the result, which was determined West Berkshire Council this week following a year of wrangling.
Veronique Bensadou, the senior planner at Grundon said the firm was currently considering its position before deciding how best to proceed, but that it had no intention of withdrawing the application to build a waste incinerator next to the same site, at Old Kiln Quarry.
A report into the sand extraction application by the council’s head of planning, Gary Lugg, said: “The proposed major development is considered to be contrary to the planning policies in place to protect the in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The applicant has failed to demonstrate that there is either an overriding need for the development or that the development cannot take place outside the AONB.
“The proposed development will generate adverse impacts throughout the period of operations that will result in negative impacts on the AONB and the applicant has failed to provide sufficient justification to overcome the planning policies that protect this nationally important designation.”
The campaign group, West Berkshire Against Grundon Incinerator (WBAGI) said it was delighted with what is called an “exceptionally significant” decision.
Simon Conington, the chairman of WBAGI said: “Such a decision would only have been made if the development was manifestly in direct and irresolvable conflict with both national and local policies to protect the AONB and the environment. It also demonstrates that the objections made by local residents were well founded, relevant to the decision and to the protection of the AONB.”
Grundon has six months to appeal the decision.