Quarry's plans to extend operating hours are deferred (From Gazette Series)

Quarry's plans to extend operating hours are deferred

11:28am Friday 14th September 2007 in

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A BID by a quarry to extend its operating hours remains in the balance after planning chiefs decided more information was needed on noise levels before a decision could be made.

Wickwar Quarry, operated by Cemex, had applied to South Gloucestershire Council to increase its production of ready mix concrete and block-making to between 5.30am to 10pm Monday to Friday and 5.30am to 12pm on Saturdays, and its coating plant operations 24 hours a day, seven day a week.

But members of the development control (west) committee said they were unable to make a decision on the quarry's two applications until they had more detailed data on noise levels.

Officers had supplied councillors with the average level of noise over a period of 12 hours from nearby properties.

These, officers said, were found to lie within the limits of acceptable recommended guidelines, and were not a reason to refuse the applications.

But councillors said an hourly average was not a good indication of the noise residents faced.

Cllr Pat Hockey said: "It is no good giving an average of a hour when there may be one loud bang and 59 minutes of silence.

"We need to see more detailed data showing the level an individual noise can reach.

"That would give us a better idea of the potential disturbance to local people and place us in a better position to make a decision."

Cemex officials claim the current permitted operating hours set in 1983 are out of date with modern day business demands.

But their application has faced the opposition of nearly 400 villagers in Wickwar and Charfield.

The protesters, many of whom attended yesterday's meeting, say the noise levels and lorry traffic from the quarry intrude into their lives.

The two applications were unanimously deferred by the committee and will now be considered at the next meeting of the committee on October 11.

A third planning application by the quarry to expand its working site 40 acres northwards towards Charfield is expected to be brought before the planning committee following a decision on the operating hours.