village faces two decades of dirt, noise and vehicles
BOROUGH Green residents face 20 more years of filthy trucks clogging up the village as they head to a quarry.
A decision has been made to earmark a new site for sand extraction, which would be used until at least 2030, just half a mile from a primary school and near the busy A25.
Kent County Council says land close to the existing Borough Green Sand Pits on the Platt Industrial Estate could become a quarry.
Lorries already pass Platt Primary School and a speeding hotspot to reach their destination.
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Now villagers could be forced to deal with at least two decades more of disturbance.
Michael Jerrom, of Platt Common, said: "It's very negative news – we've had enough of development and quarrying in this area. There will be a great deal more dust, noise and traffic."
KCC decided on Friday to consider land adjacent to the industrial estate as a possible soft-sand minerals site, despite objections.
School governors and Platt Parish Council objected to the proposal from Indigo Planning, on behalf of Earth Enterprises, when it was recommended at the first stage of the three-part Mineral and Waste Development Framework consultation over 120 possible plots countywide, which closed last year.
Parents at Platt Primary are already campaigning for a safer crossing on the A25 outside the school after a mum on the school run was injured by a lorry last June.
The chairman of governors at the school, Paul Vallance, said safety was a priority and he would raise his fears with KCC as soon as possible, while head of planning for Platt Parish Council Tim Bonser added: "Traffic on the A25 is already a major concern."
But David Brazier, KCC's deputy cabinet member for environment, highways and waste, who chaired the meeting on the quarries and landfills, said any additional traffic movement would be "carefully controlled".
He added: "Everybody wants buildings and somewhere to put their rubbish, but nobody wants a quarry near them. The Platt site is actually a very good option.
"The A25 is a big advantage as it saves drivers having to use narrow country roads through residential areas."
David Evans, borough councillor for Borough Green and Platt, said there are low levels of activity on the existing quarry but conceded there could be problems with another opening up.
He noted: "It would create the risk that the activity would also increase, thereby presenting danger to residents over noise and increased heavy goods vehicles.
"If you live overlooking the quarry in Borough Green, then you would not be too happy.
"They would be worried about the eyesore and worried about the sand drifting into their homes, which is possible."
Although the area is green belt land, there are loopholes in planning laws that allow use of such marked sites.
However, an existing sand quarry, the Ightham Sandpits site, next to Dark Hill roundabout outside Borough Green, was ruled out, with green belt land in an area of outstanding natural beauty, to the north of Addington Lane, in Trottiscliffe, near Wrotham Heath, marked as a preferred option.
A new consultation on the shortlist begins on May 28. After this, a third consultation will follow, and a final list of sites will result.
For more information, visit www.kent.gov.uk
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