Town council says no to ‘mega quarry’ plans

FROME Town Council has objected to plans to reopen Westdown Quarry near Frome. 

The town council has said that it agrees with the objections made by local residents – who have said that the quarry will have a devastating environmental impact. And they have highlighted that the reopening of the quarry will “fundamentally undermine” Somerset County Council’s declaration of a Climate Emergency. 

In their objection, the town council has said that the quarry’s impact on residential amenity will be hugely detrimental; that it will generate massive additional traffic causing highway safety issues and increase noise disturbance to neighbouring residents. They have also raised concerns about its impact on air quality, explaining that dust from the quarry and particulates from traffic pollution, will be detrimental to air quality and dangerous for the health of residents. 

“In addition, the considerable nature conservation issues have not yet been satisfactorily addressed as per the Natural England’s response,” said Frome Town Council in its objection. “Local historians confirm that Asham Wood is around 1,000 years old, and the application has provided insufficient mitigations for Natural England.  

“In a climate emergency we should be preserving habitats and not allowing the resumption of quarrying after 40 years, in such close proximity to an SSSI, and a priority habitat. Accordingly, we urge Somerset County Council to please reject this application.” 

The consultation on the quarry reopening plans closed at the end of June. A decision will be made by Somerset County Council in the near future.