The appeal against planning refusal for a controversial quarry in Ottery St Mary is under way, with Ottery councillors speaking out against the application. 

Last December, Devon county councillors went against their own officers’ recommendations and rejected the application by Aggregate Industries to dig up land at Straitgate Farm. 

The plans would have seen up to 1.5 million tonnes of sand and gravel extracted from the site over 10 to 12 years, and transported to Hillhead Quarry near Uffculme for processing. 

The development management committee rejected the plans by five votes to three and instead backed a motion of refusal. 

Their reasons included potential harm to ‘heritage assets’ such as Cadhay House, the health risks caused by potential dangers to the water supply, a lack of evidence of measures to conserve protected species, and lack of a surface water management plan and subsequent potential flood risks. 

Councillors were also concerned about the loss of mature trees and hedges, and the quarry’s environmental impact. 

However, in June Aggregate Industries UK Ltd, a Leicestershire-based building material manufacturer and supplier, submitted their appeal against the planning refusal. 

The appeal began on Tuesday, October 4 in Exeter.  

Ottery town councillor Roger Giles told the hearing the county council officers had wrongly believed that Devon lacks sand and gravel reserves after being given inaccurate information by a minerals company, and this error influenced their recommendation to approve the application. 

He also said the applicants have failed to demonstrate that a quarry at Straitgate would not damage the quality and quantity of water supply used by many local people for a very long time. 

Both he and the Otter Valley county councillor, Jess Bailey, expressed serious concerns about potential traffic danger on the B3174 if the quarry went ahead. Not only would there be more heavy lorries on the busy road, but there would also be a need to herd cattle across it up to four times a day for grazing, as the quarry will take away grazing land at Straitgate Farm. 

Cllr Giles said several serious floods during his lifetime have been caused by watercourses originating at Straitgate, and the quarry would increase the flood risk. 

He added that transporting the sand and gravel to Hillhead Quarry in Uffculme for processing – a 46-mile round trip - is unsustainable. 

Aggregate Industries will argue their case later in the hearing, which is expected to last for seven or eight days.