Residents are being invited to have their say on the future of minerals development in Essex – including the possible use of a Thorrington site bordering the main road into Brightlingsea.
Should the 105 hectare Thorrington Hall site be quarried, it could see up to 4.7 million tonnes of sand and gravel extracted from the site, which is currently classed as very good or good to moderate agricultural land.
A new road linking the site to the B1027 Clacton Road would be required, with trucks routed out via Clacton to the A133 because of the 7.5 tonne restriction on the railway bridge at Alresford.
The site is one of several in the district under consideration for mineral extraction in Essex County Council’s Minerals Local Plan, which is being reviewed so that it meets forecast demand up to 2040.
Councillor Lee Scott, Essex County Council cabinet member for Planning a Growing Economy, said: “No decisions on the allocation of any sites have been made at this stage, and we will take the views of our communities into account as the Replacement Essex Minerals Local Plan is finalised.”
He added: “The suitability of all the sites submitted has been assessed by experts, and we are now asking residents and stakeholders to feedback on the updated plan, as well as the sites submitted for inclusion, as part of the consultation.”
The consultation is open until Tuesday March 19, 2024 and can be found at www.essex.gov.uk/minerals-review.
