PLANS to build a sand quarry in Cranage and Allostock have cleared another hurdle despite fierce opposition.

Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning board gave the green light to Sibelco’s plans to extract 3.3 million tonnes of silica sand from Rudheath Lodge Farm over a 12-year period at a meeting on Thursday.

It narrowly gave its support to the scheme in a vote last April – but in light of new information relating to the quarry’s possible impact on groundwater levels at nearby fishing lake New Platt Mere, the application came back to the board.

A report from the Environment Agency raised no objection to the scheme, suggesting a 9cm drop in water levels at the lake would be acceptable, but Cllr Andrew Kolker called for caution to protect the business.

“We are asking one business to be potentially jeopardised by another business,” the Conservative member for Dane Valley said.

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“It might not be an international company, it might not be a resource of international importance, but it is a business – a business that the owners rely on for their income.”

Rudheath Lodge Farm straddles the border of Cheshire East and Cheshire West – and more than 1,000 objections had been sent to the two councils in total.

Cllr Mike Cohen, member for Cranage Parish Council, suggested there is a lack of demand for silica sand – particularly in light of Sibelco’s application to expand its Bent Farm quarry near Congleton.

However, Mike Hurley, mineral resources manager at Sibelco, moved to reassure councillors that the sand is needed – with 75 per cent set to go to industries such as glass, and around a quarter to be used in construction.

He also addressed concerns that the silica sand could be used for fracking in Cheshire – with specialist equipment required to dig and prepare such sand for fracking.

Mr Hurley added: “We are not putting that equipment in – as a result we have not tested the sand to see whether it would even be suitable.”

Opening the debate, Cllr Harold Davenport, Conservative, said: “I worked in the construction industry for many, many years. I know the need for this material – both the silica sand and the construction sand.

“I can see it is quite emotive because if you live nearby and it’s nice green fields, you don’t particularly want to see this being carried out for the next 12 years.

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“But if there is a need for this, and we are being told there is, I think we have got to take a serious look at it. I have not heard any facts to say we should turn this down.”

A raft of conditions will be included in the planning permission – including one agreed with Jodrell Bank to ensure it complies with the observatory’s sound limits, and one to halt sand extraction if water levels drop below 52.1m above sea level.

But Cllr Toni Fox, independent, raised concerns that the scheme – with the 34 conditions placed on it by CEC, and the conditions placed by Cheshire West and Chester Council – would be workable.

“I’m still not convinced that it has to be this particular site with all the conditions that are going to have to be put in place to make it acceptable,” she said.

“I think the concerns that have been raised by both the speakers here today and the 1,000 objections that have been put in by residents to both applications, for me that raises considerable concern.”

Cllr Fox proposed that the scheme is refused on groundwater issues, as well as uncertainty for the need of the quarry and the impact it could have on residents’ health and wellbeing.

But planning officer David Malcolm insisted the issues of need and wellbeing were matters for last year’s debate, and he told members he was ‘quite comfortable’ with the advice of the Environment Agency and other expert consultees on the groundwater issues.

Members approved the scheme by seven votes to four, with one abstention.

CWAC gave its approval for the site last month, and now the Government will consider ‘calling in’ the scheme for a final decision.