A resident from Nunney, and keen dog walkers, are appealing for help from Frome to fight a proposals to re-open the local quarry in response to demand for aggregate for the national high speed rail link, HS2.

Hanson has submitted a proposal to re-open the quarry, which has been closed for decades, which is next to the ancient Asham Woods.

It would be a third quarry in the area and opponents insist that the environmental damage will be immense, particularly as the revived works will border a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Residents have just one more day (until June 22) to make their representations to the Mendip planning board, which back in February agreed the pre-planning application.

The quarry, once used for filming an episode of Doctor Who, was acquired by ARC, now Hanson in 1985. Permission to quarry in Asham Wood lapsed in 1998 and the site was then permanently abandoned .

But now demand has returned and Hanson say that re-opening will create an additional 40 full time high skilled jobs for local people plus jobs in the supply chain.

On the company web site they post: " We believe our dual approach for Whatley and Westdown quarries offers real benefits to the East Mendips. It will help to secure the vital construction materials required for economic recovery post-Covid and beyond while minimising the impact of our operations on the local area. "

It adds that because of the rail link at Whatley, the quarry is only one

of a handful across England that has the capacity to supply wider UK markets. " With an increasing demand for limestone from a range of

national construction projects,– most notably the recently

approved High Speed 2 rail link from London to Manchester."

At its latest community meeting, Hanson reported that it has increased the number of road sweepers it uses and collects 15 tonnes of debris a day from local villages, it has changed some of its operating fleet for quieter models, and has recently granted Frome Angling Club access to almost all of the waterways it owns.

Views on the planning application need to be emailed to [email protected], and include reference

applications SCC/3795/2021, SCC/3836/2021/IDO,SCC/3837/2021/IDO, and SCC/3838/2021/ROMP