Cornish villagers claim plans to quarry millions of tonnes of rocks for the proposed £850m Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon scheme could “devastate” their quiet rural lifestyles.
Residents on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula say plans to re-open the former Dean Quarry and ship rocks from specially-built jetties - which will be used to build a six-mile-long sea wall in Swansea Bay - could “devastate” the area.
Local campaign group Community Against Dean Super Quarry say the area of Cornish coast where the jetties are planned has recently been designated a Marine Conservation Zone, where rare marine flora and fauna are supposed to be protected.
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'No one will see it or hear it'
Mark Shorrock, chief executive of both Shire Oak Energy and Tidal Lagoon Power – the companies developing the lagoon and the quarry – told a meeting of residents in the Cornish village of St Keverne: “We’ve got two choices of taking the rock away.
He said: “We can, under the existing permission, take the rock out by road starting from next week. What we would like to do, is take it out by ship because no one will see it and no one will hear it.”
Check out our gallery of Swansea Bay tidal lagoon
St lves MP Andrew George said: “Most people in the area would be happy to see Dean Quarry reopened and to trundle along at the same level it was before, but this is potentially at a scale which could create greater detriment to the environment and to the integrity of a recently-designated Marine Conservation Zone.”
Kurt Larson, managing director of Shire Oak Quarries said: “I’ve been around British quarries for 30 years now. I know that Dean Quarry was a major feature in community life for over a century and many people were sad to see it close.
Watch this stunning video of Swansea Bay tidal lagoon
“We will ensure the re-opening of the quarry will be a positive experience for those same people. Through local employment, by re-establishing good relations with neighbouring communities, and by turning the site into a true coastal quarry so that people do not see or hear the rock being taken away.
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“All quarrying will take place in the same spot as before and all activity will heed the same noise, dust and operating restrictions as before.
“The existing jetty needs to be replaced because it is in poor condition and unsuitable for the transport of rock armour.”
The huge renewable energy project will know if it has won approval from UK Energy Secretary, currently Ed Davey, by June this year at the latest.
