Residents' anger over council plans to increase quarrying on the Dorset and Hampshire border
WATCH ITV News Meridian's Richard Slee speaking to residents in Alderholt.
Residents of a village on the Dorset and Hampshire border are campaigning against plans to increase quarrying in the area.
A large gravel and landfill site is proposed for Alderholt, three miles west of Fordingbridge and it would be situated off Hillbury Road.
Hampshire County Council says demand for sand and gravel has risen but objectors say the quarry will have an environmental impact and the roads in the village are not designed for an increase in lorries.
Big lorries on a small road is a concern for Chris Green who spent time in hospital after a crash on this road involving an HGV.
Chris said: "HGVs are two and a half meters wide excluding wing mirrors and if you include that up on the corner on the blind bend where I had my accident, it's 4.8 meters across the road."
At 280 acres, the proposed site is bigger than Alderholt village and sandwiched between the village and the gravel extraction site is the home of Jon Lucas.
Jon said: "I'm livid that Hampshire County Council have got this farcical consultation process and it looks stealth like because there are 3,000 homes over here and no one got a letter and the site is just meters away from their houses for the next 20 years."
In 1995 a similar plan was rejected and it wasn't included in the 2013 plan so questions are being asked about whether Hampshire needs this site.
At a public meeting in the village pub last week many people were angry that they were hearing about the plans for the first time.
On Monday (30 January), in the village hall, residents were told by the local Dorset County Councillor, that what's being proposed contradicts Hampshire's own policies in its Minerals and Waste Plan.
Cllr David Tooke said: "There's three concerns, the impact on the village, noise, dust, dirt, disturbance. There's environmental considerations because this area is home to some very rare species, it's impact on the Avon Valley special protection area. And last but not least, the impact on the local road network."
Hampshire County Council says that operators applying for planning permission must take into account 'environmental considerations' and assess the 'impact on local communities'.
Semex already extracts gravel at a site just a mile down the road and in a statement it said that it was looking at preparing a potential new planning application and it will work closely with the local community to ensure minimal disruption to residents.
Hampshire County council says all objections as part of the public consultation will be considered, the deadline to submit objection is Tuesday 30 January at 5pm.