Plans for more gypsum to be extracted at Bantycock Quarry at Balderton

Plans for the next phases of working and future restoration of Bantycock Quarry at Balderton have been submitted by British Gypsum, part of the Saint-Gobain Group.

It follows a period of public consultation including an exhibition which was held in Fernwood Village Hall earlier this year.

The company already has permission to quarry gypsum at Bantycock. The latest application gives the plans for the phasing of gypsum extraction as well as its proposal for how the land will be restored once the work is complete.

Quarry manager Mr Kevin Glasper said the company had reviewed feedback from the consultation period, had direct discussions with residents and invited neighbours and parish councillors to visit the site.

British Gypsum and Saint-Gobain want to establish a community liaison committee made up of company and council representatives along members of local residents' associations to provide an ongoing forum between the quarry operator and the local community.

Said Mr Glasper: "It was important for us to gather the views of local people and answer any questions in order to shape our final application."

Nottinghamshire County Council will determine the application with a decision due early in the New Year.

Bantycock covers 225 hectares with the deepest excavations 43 metres below ground level.

Operations can continue until 2027 after which the site must be restored by 2029.

The proposed quarry works have been included in the Draft Nottinghamshire Minerals Plan document which looks at suitable sites for the extraction of sandstone, brick clay and gypsum as well as sand and gravel for the next ten years.

An extension to Langford Lowfield near Collingham for sand and gravel has been included in the draft plan.

A new estimate to quarry 1.7 million tonnes of sand and gravel in the county each year has been used for the draft plan compared to 2.6 million tonnes when older sales data was used for a previous draft plan.

As a result fewer sand and gravel quarries are now being proposed.

Newark and Sherwood District Council objected to the previous draft plan which has now been withdrawn but are supporting the new one.

Mr Roger Blaney told a meeting of the economic development committee the council's responses could not be more supportive.

"I am very satisfied with new draft report compared with the concerns raised by the previous one," he said.