OPPOSITION is growing to Surrey County council's proposals to earmark land at Monkton Lane, Farnham, for potential gravel workings. Waverley Borough Council and Farnham Town Council are both firing off objections to the quarry proposal set out in the Draft Surrey Minerals Plan 2006. And hundreds of signatures have been collected in a campaign being spearheaded by South West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt. The town council's environmental services committee has called for the site to be excluded from the plan because of its pivotal importance as part of the Farnham/Aldershot strategic gap. It also believes that 250-metre buffer zones, as implemented elsewhere in Europe to keep mineral workings away from residential properties, are essential, and that failure to provide adequate buffer zones is contrary to the Human Rights Act 1998. Such buffers, the council asserts, would not be possible in the case of Monkton Lane. Town council leader Mark Norris, who is member for Weybourne and Badshot Lea, said the quarry proposal had one advantage - it was holding up the STAX/Farnham Rugby Club sports development proposals for the site. However, having looked at what the quarry would mean for the area, he believed the town council should ask for it to be taken out of the plan. The county council has suggested that the workings would be over within 10 years. But Mr Norris pointed to the experience of other pits in the locality. "There is an initial application, then a bit further down the line there is a further application, and then a further application." With concreting aggregates involved, he foresaw that an application for processing on the site could be the next move. "Wheras we could bear with gritted teeth the gravel extraction in the knowledge that in 10 years the area would be open to the community, the key issues are what is going to happen in the future, and we can't answer any of those questions." The town council is also asking for a proposed extension of the Runfold South Quarry - a proposal that has recently been refused planning consent - to be thrown out of the draft plan. Referring to the Runfold South Quarry, it demands: "The threat of continuation of the severe negative impacts on the quality of life of local residents should be removed without delay." Waverley Council's executive has likewise objected to Monkton Lane and Runfold South being included as sites, along with the Eashing Farm site because of its effect on the Hurtmore/Peper Harow community. Gillian Ferguson, leader of the council, commented: "It is imperative that in our position as representatives for the people of Waverley, we identify any potentially negative consequences that these plans might have on the residents of the borough. "In the case of all three sites, we have strong objections and urge Surrey County Council to think again." MP Jeremy Hunt, who has been campaigning with Weybourne and Badshot Lea residents Gillian Beel and Sam Pritchard against the Monkton Lane quarry, commented: "No one wants a quarry located on their backdoor step. However there are particular reasons why the Monkton Lane site would be totally inappropriate. "Not only is it in the heart of a dense residential area, but it is also located in the middle of the so-called 'strategic gap' which is a vital green breathing space for residents of north Farnham. "The level of support on this issue has been immense and we will continue to fight the Monkton Lane proposal in the hope that council planners see sense and remove it from their Draft Minerals Plan."
