Lichfield campaigners battling plans for a new quarry in the area have been given a boost after Staffordshire County Council said it had torn up existing plans for mineral extraction in the county.
Staffordshire’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Infrastructure Robert Marshall said the new administration had made a clear manifesto commitment to fight for a fairer deal for Staffordshire communities.
Television reports of the demonstration against further sand and gravel extraction in the Alrewas and Kings Bromley claimed the County Council still accepted Government projections – something the current administration have claimed is incorrect.
Cllr Marshall said:
“The Conservative administration do not accept the Government target for sand and gravel extraction in Staffordshire. We are committed to reducing both the tonnage and the percentage of sand and gravel that Staffordshire provides out of the West Midlands allocation.
“One of our first actions on being elected was to instruct officers to change the existing policy. This process is currently underway and will be implemented as soon as possible. One thing is clear. We think it is unreasonable and unfair that Staffordshire bears such a big brunt of the minerals extraction.
“While we recognise that Staffordshire has good minerals reserves and it is a thriving industry, we have to get the balance right. Local people need to be protected from the adverse impact of sand and gravel extraction.”
The news could be music to the ears of around 200 protesters who were joined by Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant for a recent march against plans for a gravel extraction site near Kings Bromley.
Lichfield District Councillor Janet Eagland was among the marchers and echoed the call for other areas to take on more responsibility for mineral quarrying. She said:
“It’s time now for other counties to pull their weight when it comes to gravel extraction. Staffordshire extracts around 66 per cent of Midlands gravel while other counties are in single figures. I am taking this campaign up to county level.”