Town council opposes plans to extend quarry

Plans to expand a quarry would result in "heavy traffic" on an A-road for a further 20 years, a council has warned.

In March 2024 Aggregate Industries UK Limited applied to Central Bedfordshire Council for permission to extract silica sand from an extension to Grovebury Quarry, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.

The company, which runs the site, said it wanted to increase its operations to the south of the quarry lake for at least another decade.

Leighton Linslade Town Council opposes the proposal and said it would increase traffic "along the A505 bypass, which is at highway capacity already".

A spokesperson for Aggregate Industries UK Limited said: "Access would remain the same off an A4146 roundabout.

"The current infrastructure of a processing plant, a stockpiling area, site offices and car park would be retained."

Central Bedfordshire Council said its Development Management Committee will consider the project in due course, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

Aggregate Industries is a supplier of construction materials through its operating divisions in the UK.

Grovebury Quarry covers about 305 acres (123 hectares) and has been operational since the 1920s, according to Heatons planning, environment and design consultancy.

The extension to the quarry would release an extra 3.33 million tonnes of sand and it would have an operational life of between nine and 14 years, Aggregate Industries said.

A further six years would then be required for the quarry extension's restoration once all the mineral is extracted, it added.

A spokesperson from Leighton Linslade Town Council said: "If [Central Bedfordshire Council] is minded to grant planning permission, tangible benefits for the local community should be sought.

"These would be funding to upgrade the A505 bypass, financial contributions to improve leisure and recreation provision, and better signage to ban associated lorry travel through the parish."

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