Open letter to MS raises quarry fears

Richard Evans, Local Democracy Reporter

The chair of a county council’s planning committee has called on the Welsh Government to delay a decision on a quarry appeal following a major incident at a quarry in south Wales.

Cllr Mark Young of Denbighshire County Council has written an open letter to Siân Gwenllian MS, the Minister for Local Government, Housing, and Planning, urging for a decision to be delayed until investigations into an incident at Gwaelod-y-Garth, south Wales, have been completed.

Health and safety officers are investigating after water, mud, and rocks flooded the village on the outskirts of Cardiff following a blast at the Breedon-operated quarry.

Residents were forced to evacuate after homes were badly damaged when water surged through Heol Berry and Heol y Nant shortly after Thursday evening’s explosion.

Cllr Young said his thoughts were with the residents and families whose homes and lives have been affected in South Wales but said the incident had also caused concern in Denbigh.

Denbighshire County Council planning committee refused Breedon Southern Ltd permission to extend the life of Graig Quarry on Graig Road in Denbigh in 2023.

At the time, councillors argued the extension could condemn residents to years of “dust and disruption”.

The company, though, argued the application would boost Denbigh’s economy, save 100 jobs, and reduce the business’ carbon footprint, negating the need for lorries to transport limestone from England.

Consequently, Breedon appealed, and the final decision will now be made by the Welsh Government minister.

The company was granted planning permission in October 2022, allowing the remaining quarry reserves to be extracted until August 31, 2028.

But if the appeal were to be won, the application would allow the company to release an additional 4.4 million tonnes of saleable minerals, extending the life of the quarry for another 25 years.

“I have been contacted by a number of very concerned residents living near Denbigh Quarry,” said Cllr Young.

“Given the close proximity of the working quarry to homes and the understandable anxiety this incident has created, they are seeking reassurance that every relevant factor will be fully considered before any decision is made on the Denbigh Quarry appeal.

“I therefore respectfully urge you to think long and hard before determining the appeal.

“Until the facts surrounding the South Wales incident are fully established and the relevant investigations have been completed, I believe it would be prudent to defer any decision on the Denbigh Quarry appeal. It is important that any determination is made with the fullest possible understanding of all material considerations.”

He added: “This is not about prejudging the outcome of the investigations or suggesting that conclusions should be reached before the evidence is available.

“Rather, it is about ensuring that public confidence in the planning process is maintained and that local communities can be assured that public safety, environmental protection, and responsible quarry management remain at the heart of planning decisions.

“Residents living close to Denbigh Quarry deserve to know that every relevant matter has been carefully considered before a final decision is reached.”

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