Quarry plan concerns homeowners

Plans to turn an old quarry in south Devon into a recycling centre have caused concern among nearby residents.

The centre at Whitecleaves quarry in Buckfastleigh would contain crushing facilities and recycle scrap metal, including cars.

Residents have said they fear the noise and dust would be unbearable.

Gilpin Demolition, the company which wants to open the new centre, said the amount of noise would be kept to a minimum and new jobs would be created.

It is about 20 years since main production stopped at Whitecleaves quarry.

There'll be incessant drillings and blastings Chris Routley, local resident

Now, Gilpin demolition wants to hammer out 300,000 tonnes of rock to level the land and make it suitable for a demolition recycling centre.

The work is expected to take three years.

Some homes are just metres from the five acre site, and many homeowners are concerned about the possible levels of dust and noise.

Chris Routley said: "There'll be incessant drillings and blastings, which will have a tremendous effect on the local community."

Rosemary Cooper, who lives opposite the quarry's main entrance, said: "The lorries coming and going will affect me... it'll be terrible."

Sam Gilpin, from Gilpin Demolition said the noise and dust would be minimal.

He said: "On the dust we're going to be enforced quite strictly by the local council.

"The machines are much quieter now and we're going to be operating inside the quarry rather than outside it."

A planning application for the demolition recycling centre has been submitted to Buckfastleigh town council.