Hundreds objecting to quarry plan

Braithwaite Excavations is seeking planning permission to expand the quarry on green belt land off Newland Lane, moving it closer to Altofts village.

It could mean 14 years of quarrying close to a primary school and dozens of homes.

Leader of Wakefield Council Coun Peter Box has objected in his role as an Altofts and Whitwood councillor. He said: “Our residents are exactly right in what they are saying. This is going to have a serious impact on the environment and on people’s quality of life.”

He added: “I hope the planning committee will take the voice of local residents and councillors very seriously before coming to a decision and act on the number of people who have responded and the number of concerns that have been raised.”

Planning documents submitted by Silkstone Environmental Ltd on behalf of Braithwaite Excavations state that around 700,000 tonnes of fireclay and brickshale will be extracted over 14 years - around 50,000 tonnes per annum.

As The Express went to print last week, around 15 objections had been lodged against the plans. But in just a week, that number has risen to more than 200.

Concerns have been raised about dust, noise, loss of green space, potential flooding and HGV traffic.

Andrew Braithwaite, operations director at Braithwaite Excavations said: “The site won’t be going right up to the houses, we won’t be taking any woodland or allotments out, the footpath will stay and the site will all be put back to grassland when we are done.”

Planning documents say development would be a continuation of the extraction at Rudd Quarry and the former Normanton Brickworks, which is “nearing depletion”. Plans to expand a brick and clay quarry have been opposed by more than 200 people.