 An application has been submitted to extend the lifetime of the quarry by a further 5–7 years. The original permission requires the quarry to be filled and restored to nature by 2027. The proposal is asking to continue quarrying for a further 5 years (until 2032), followed by infilling and restoration until 2034. The quarry is filled with inert waste, such as glass, bricks and concrete.
The Forum has objected to the application based on the following reasons: 1. Lack of community engagement There has been no engagement with local residents or the Forum, despite the scale and potential impacts of the proposal. 2. Concerns about the type of application The Forum is concerned about the type of application being used (a Section 73 application). This is not a full planning application and will not be considered by the Planning Committee. Despite potential significant effects on residents, this would make past unauthorised quarrying acceptable by changing conditions, rather than submitting a new application for proper assessment. Quarrying has already taken place outside the approved boundary, and this has not been fully assessed or enforced. South Tyneside planning officers appear to have supported this approach during pre-application discussions. The Forum has asked to see the relevant correspondence but has not yet received it. 3. Traffic and transport impacts There are almost 400 HGV movements per day, which under the current permission would reduce to 0 after 2027. The new proposal would result in almost 400 HGVs a day for a further 5–7 years under the proposal, yet the transport statement is not thorough. It accepts that the impact on residents is significant, but then argues that this does not matter because people in Whitburn are already used to large numbers of lorries. The Forum strongly disagrees with this approach. 4. Dust and air quality Residents have reported ongoing dust problems, and monitoring has shown high levels in some areas. The Forum considers the assessment of dust and air pollution to be inadequate. It does not properly assess health impacts, particularly for children at Marsden Primary School. 5. Impact on protected sites The Forum believes the application wrongly dismisses potential impacts on nearby protected European sites. Increased lorry traffic after 2027 could significantly affect air quality, and a more detailed assessment is required. 6. Landscape impacts The proposal does not properly assess the impact on the “Lower Slopes of Cleadon Hills,” a locally designated landscape in the Whitburn Neighbourhood Plan. 7. Wildlife concerns Evidence shows that fulmar is breeding in the quarry, but this has not been properly considered in the environmental assessments. 8. Climate change considerations The application does not properly assess the wider climate impacts of quarrying, including emissions from the eventual use of extracted materials. The Forum argues these “downstream” effects should be included. You can read the full response here.
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