A controversial project to build a quarry the size of 12 football pitches in Aberdeenshire has been rejected – three years after it was first tabled.
Members of the Formartine area committee voted against JKR Contractor Ltd’s plans to dig out the site at Rainnieshill near Newmachar for the duration of 13 years.
Under the proposals, the site at Beauty Hill was earmarked for a 24-acre quarry to provide up to 60,000 tones of hard rock per annum.
This was expected to help the Ellon-based company stay afloat and protect more than 150 jobs.
However, the project has been a hotly discussed topic since its inception in 2019 – with hundreds of residents claiming the quarry “would ruin their quality of life”.
A total of 250 people submitted formal objections to the application, while 171 comments were lodged in support.
A petition to block the plans – deemed the single most controversial project since Donald Trump’s golf resort at Menie in 2012 – was signed by 743 residents in the area.
Plans deemed as “not acceptable”
Campaigners raised concerns about a number of matters – including proximity to homes, noise and dust pollution, road safety issues and environmental impact on wildlife.
Similar concerns also became the foundation of an intense debate among councillors, carrying the heavy burden of deciding on the future of the project.
Members of the Garioch area committee – who were the first to be presented with the papers in April – hit back at the development and recommended it for refusal.
The blueprints were then passed to councillors in the Formartine area, who also had some worries due to the “number of conflicted interests” and demanded a site visit.
JKR owner and director Kevin Taylor spoke at today’s committee meeting to alleviate the concerns.
He stressed they have taken all the necessary measures to cause no harm to the local community and added: “The quarry will greatly assist our business especially at this present time when the spiralling cost of fuel and other commodities impact our ability to operate.
“There are no objections to the proposal from technical consultees.
“All quarry extraction and processing will take place within the quarry bowl – approximately 1,300ft from the nearest residential property – and most properties are significantly further away.
“The environmental impact has been fully considered and a study confirmed that with proper mitigation in place, the project can be carried out without significant impact.”
Range of concerns overweigh the benefits
But regardless of Mr Taylor’s reassurances – and the backing of planning officers and consultees, – councillors still dismissed the plans at today’s meeting.
The motion for refusal, put forward by Mid-Formartine councillor Derek Ritchie, was backed unanimously by fellow members who deemed the plans to be “unacceptable”.
Others pointed out the “significant and demonstrable adverse impact on landscape” and the “unacceptable detrimental effect” on nearby homes.
Councillor Paul Johnston, who represents the same ward, echoed Mr Ritchie and highlighted a range of problems caused from quarry developments in previous years.
He said: “I do not doubt that JKR as a company requires a quarry and materials there but that is not what we are being asked to approve – what we are asked to approve is a land-use application.
“I question whether this is the best site for this and whether we require such a site at all, taking the argument about the loss of visual amenity visual and sufficient impact on residents.”
He also raised concerns over increase in traffic in the area with the addition of HGVs travelling daily on the “unsuitable and narrow” roads.
Mr Johnston added: “We recall large lorries using the road in the past and literally destroying large sections of the road which had to be repaired – so I do think this will cause a problem.
“These roads are not suitable for this purpose – although they [JKR Contractors Ltd] are perfectly entitled to use them under the current legislation.”
Read the Press and Journal’s investigation into the Beauty Hill plans here:
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