Northampton Borough Council Backs Protesters Concerns

12.00.00am GMT Wed 18th Mar 2009

Following a concerted campaign by Residents, Scott Collins and Paul Varnsverry, Parliamentary Candidates for South Northants and Northampton South respectively, over several months, Northampton Borough Council has submitted an objection to the plans for a quarry to be opened at Milton Malsor and Collingtree. Speaking today Paul Varnsverry said "This will be great relief to the residents of East and West Hunsbury who would have been affected by the air borne dust and noise from the quarry and the hugely increased industrial traffic from the quarry via the Hunsbury roundabout and adjoining roads in their route to the M1 and beyond"

Scott Collins, Parliamentary Candidate for the Liberal Democrats in South Northants said "The plan for the quarry so close to the villages of Collingtree and Milton Malsor was always going to draw opposition but the decision to include it in the County Councils Minerals Plan is quite frankly ridiculous and should have been dropped whilst still in the hands of the County Council"

Commenting further Scott said "The effect of this quarry will be massively detrimental to the local residents across Milton Malsor, Collingtree, East and West Hunsbury and I am glad that the Borough Council has seen the sense in objecting to the proposals"

Cllr Paul Varnsverry also said "As councillor for West Hunsbury I have received a number of calls from very concerned residents and I am happy to be able to go back to them to assure them that the Liberal Democrat Borough Council has heard their concerns and supports their views that the quarry will be detrimental to the lives of the people in the Hunsbury estates"

Speaking at the meeting Scott raised further concerns about the affects of vibration on local buildings "The area directly around the proposed quarry site could suffer the potential affects of vibration from the workings of the quarry and the associated lorry movements very close to peoples homes in the villages and on the routes away from the site"

Cllr Paul Varnsverry compared the idea of the Council supporting the quarry plan to those passed by the previous Conservative administration to their building of the Delapre Bund in Northampton "It would be like turkeys voting for Christmas"

Paul, speaking during the meeting, also drew attention to the fact that all but one of the elected representatives from the Conservative Party have failed to make a submission for consideration by the planning inspector. "The list of shame of Conservative Councillors in the Hunsburys and Nene Valley who have failed to act in the interests of their electorate" Paul said "is a clear indication of which party truly is a party of political patsies"

Scott commented to the Cabinet meeting that "Had the shambolic attempt at a call in on the County Council been better written and co-ordinated across the parties then we would not be here tonight"

Commenting after the meeting Scott said, "I can't believe the Conservative County Councillors could not find a reason to call this in. Its just as well the Cabinet this evening saw sense and made their objection to a quarry at Milton Malsor / Collingtree clear. Well someone has to listen to the residents affected!"

The public enquiry starts shortly and will be held at the Saints rugby ground.

Full decision document will be available on the NBC website in the coming days.