Midhurst councillors fight ‘excessive’ sand quarry lorries

One of the lorries making its way through Midhurst

At a meeting of Midhurst Town Council on Monday night, councillors debated plans by Inert Recycling to increase the number of lorry movements through the centre of Midhurst to Pendean Sand Quarry, from 21 a day to a maximum of 75 daily.

But the council said the proposed increase was ‘excessive’. In its objection the council said: “Midhurst and the surrounding areas have already suffered from the flow of HGVs moving to and from the Pendean quarry.

“Residents make complaints about poor air quality, noise generated by vehicle movements, traffic congestion and increasing damage to the local road network, particularly Rumbold’s Hill in Midhurst which shows evidence of sinking and surface destruction attributable in part to heavy aggregate lorries running through the town.”

Inert Recycling said the plan would shorten the timescale of the six-year permission it has for work at the Pendean quarry - however cllr McAra said this suggestion was ‘illusional’.

Midhurst’s district councillor Steve Morley told the Observer: “I feel it appears that Inert Recycling (UK) Ltd did not adhere to the restrictions previously imposed upon them and are now requesting an increase in lorry movements to and from the quarry.

“This would be solely of benefit to a company that has already displayed disregard for the lifestyle we enjoy in our rural market town. Our narrow streets and lanes would actually benefit from a decrease in the number.

“I am therefore strongly opposed to any form of increase in lorry journeys being granted. I do not think that the implementation of a monitoring system would work as they could see this as being granted license to ride rough shod over our town.”

A spokesperson for the SDNPA said officers had carried out site visits and a breach of condition notice was served on April 9, ‘resulting in the current application’.

“All comments and concerns will be taken into consideration in due course,” said the SDNPA.

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