Controversial quarry plans in Northumberland approved for second time

The controversial proposals were originally given the green light in November 2024, but that decision was quashed after an appeal found the council had not properly considered the environmental impact.

A fresh application from North East Concrete came before members of Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee on Tuesday, with some changes made to reduce the ecological impact of the scheme. Areas of grassland, including a section home to rare waxcap grassland fungi, will be protected.

Amended proposals to protect the white-clawed crayfish population in the River Wansbeck were also submitted and deemed acceptable by the Environment Agency and the county ecologist. The river is an important habitat for the endangered species, which is the UK’s only native freshwater crayfish.

Council planning officer Gordon Halliday said: “The ecological implications have been given careful scrutiny. Revised proposals have been submitted.

“These proposals are acceptable to Natural England, the Environment Agency – who had expressed concern about the white clawed crayfish – and the county ecologist. We have carried out very careful scrutiny to the climate affects of the development.

“New, comprehensive, detailed information has been submitted that has been looked at very carefully by the council’s climate change team, who are independent of the planning team. They have concluded that it is in accordance with best practice and adequately deals with climate change implications.”

Despite this, the plans faced significant local opposition, with 183 objections submitted by residents along with opposition from Ponteland Town Council and Belsay Parish Council.

Speaking at the meeting, Kirkwhelpington resident Rachel Bachelor said: “Northumberland County Council failed to properly assess the climate change impact. There is a fundamental failure in the environmental impact assessment.

“Residents were shocked than an unlawful decision was made about the future of their village. Why would we accept environmental damage?”

Councillors were split on the decision.

Green Party councillor Martin Swinbank said: “The River Wansbeck is internationally important for white clawed crayfish. Eighty percent of the population has disappeared in recent years.

“We have a quarry site right at the watershed. If anything goes wrong, it wipes out the white clawed crayfish in the river.

“With all respect, the Environment Agency look after agricultural run-off going into rivers, they look at sewage pollution gong into rivers. We know the reality of what goes into our rivers – I won’t be supporting this.”

But Cllr Malcolm Robinson argued: “All the things we have talked about, the concerns we have raised, have been addressed.

“There is mitigation in place for just about everything – certainly more than was in the last application. I think the mitigation and the work that has been put into this to look at it holistically and make sure nothing adverse happens and make sure the environmental impact is right – I think it’s a belt and braces application this time.”

The plans were approved by nine votes to two.