Haddiscoe quarry plan decision to be made by Norfolk council

But council officers are still recommending that Norfolk County Council's planning committee grants permission to the hugely controversial proposals in Haddiscoe.

The application, by concrete and cement suppliers Breedon, is to extract 650,000 tonnes of gravel and 510,000 tonnes of sand from a site at Manor Farm, next to Crab Apple Lane.

Villagers in Haddiscoe are opposing the quarry plans (Image: Sonya Duncan/Newsquest)

There have been objections and concerns from parish councils in Haddiscoe, Toft Monks Thurlton and Hales and Heckingham over traffic and environmental impacts.

Norfolk County Council has received 383 objections and just one in support.

Objectors are worried about dust, noise, extra traffic and the impact of the quarry on the nearby Grade I-listed St Mary's Church, an issue Historic England also highlighted.

St Mary's Church in Haddiscoe (Image: James Weeds)

Villagers formed action group Stopit2, representing more than 250 people who live in Haddiscoe, bringing in consultants to question the company's claims about dust.

The group has also highlighted how the location is not allocated as a minerals site in a council blueprint for where such developments would be acceptable.

The group is battling to stop it being included in the next iteration of that plan, currently in the hands of a planning inspector, and questioned the "rush" for the council to make a decision on the quarry plans.

Daryl Packer, from Stopit2, said: "There's a big cloud of sadness and frustration about all this.

"We have pointed out detrimental flaws with lots of different aspects of the scheme.

"On Friday, our solicitors sent a punchy letter to Norfolk County Council about those and I find it very hard to see how they could have gone through that all so quickly."

Despite the objections, officers at County Hall are recommending councillors grant permission when they meet on Friday, May 24.

READ MORE: Sand martins at Mangreen Quarry on A140 to be protected

Protest posters have been put up in Haddiscoe (Image: James Weeds)

Officers acknowledge harm will be caused to St Mary's Church, but state "significant weight" should be attached to the need to meet a shortfall in sand and gravel for construction in the county.

They added: "There are no significant highway safety, environmental or amenity impacts that cannot be adequately mitigated or which would make the proposal unacceptable."