March 28, 2018 12.05 pm This story is over 78 months old

Government dismisses plans for limestone quarry near Grantham

Campaigners had objected to the development.
An example of a limestone quarry off High Dike in Ancaster. Photo: Stefan Czapski

Controversial plans for a limestone quarry close to the Lincolnshire border with Leicestershire have been dismissed by the government.

Lincolnshire County Council initially rejected Mick George Ltd’s proposals for the quarry and landfill site on land at Gorse Lane in Denton, south-west of Grantham, in October 2015.

However, the applicant appealed the decision to the Planning Inspectorate, with a public inquiry held at Stoke Rochford Hall in January and February this year.

The inquiry heard from Mick George Ltd, who wanted to extract over five million tonnes of limestone from the quarry over a 30 year period, working out at roughly 200,000 tonnes every year.

The proposed development would have also seen the quarry backfilled with inert waste, which can include sand and concrete, to restore the site.

It would have created 30 full-time jobs, and brought an estimated £2.5 million into the local economy each year.

Members of Gorse Lane Quarry Action Group spoke at the inquiry, claiming that there was a lack of need for the mineral extraction and capacity for further waste disposal.

The action group also objected to the plans because of potential ecological risks, harm to the character of the area, and a negative impact on local agriculture.

Seven residents spoke at the inquiry to voice their concerns over air and traffic pollution, and impact on the local economy.

Government inspector Melvyn Middleton visited the site as well as hearing the opposing arguments at the inquiry, before making his final decision.

In dismissing the application, he said: “The proposal would extract limestone and import inert waste in an area where there is clearly no immediate justification for increased capacity in either.

“It would also use a significant area of best and most versatile agricultural land.

“Lincolnshire has more than adequate approved limestone reserves and potential inert waste capacity to meet and abrupt increase in demand from within the county and in neighbouring authorities for a number of years.”