Residents 'heartbroken' at haulage firm's plans for road through Yate Rocks

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Residents in a part of Yate are opposing plans by a quarry company to build a new temporary haul road which they say will have a big impact on the area.

If approved, the application would see a link road installed between two quarries at the Hansons Quarry site near Yate Rocks for 10-12 years.

Locals say the road will permanently destroy the beautiful wildlife and natural habitats there.

Resident Louise Buckle said: "We are very attached emotionally to the diversity of wildlife and the beautiful environment.

"We would be heartbroken to see it changed fundamentally.

"The practical impact is noise, emissions, dust, the amount of mud that's going to come along our roads and the impact of road safety."

The propose route for the new temporary haul road Credit: Hansons Quarry

Hansons needs to transport limestone from its Brinsham West Quarry to its Southfields Quarry.

In 2015 it gained planning permission to build a tunnel under the Wickwar Road to do this.

But it has now applied to build a temporary, mile-long road instead, cutting through its own land and farm land.

Some of the houses in Yate Rocks will be just a few hundred metres away from the haul road.

Julie Reed, who has lived in Yate Rocks for 27 years, thinks the road has no long term value.

She said: "This area is ancient - this woodland has been left undisturbed for a hundred years and the wildlife we have here is incredible.

"We have the great crested newts, we have otters in the stream, we have nine species of bats. 

"The whole area is of scientific nature conservation interest (SNCI), so it has been designated as the area that has this wealth of wildlife here that we need to protect."

Resident have produced this image of what they think the haul road will look like. Credit: Jamie Henniker-Heaton / Dean French

In a statement land, planning and development manager at Hansons, Trystan Mabbitt, said: "Our proposals have been developed to minimise disruption on local roads and reduce impact for residents and on the environment.

"A temporary haul road would prevent Wickwar Road from closing for up to six months during the tunnel's construction and the distance quarried materials would travel before processing would be halved, cutting carbon emissions."