A huge number of objections have been lodged against controversial plans for a new quarry not far from the centre of one of the Highlands’ most picturesque towns.
Dutch company Bloem Natuurprodukten has applied to quarry sand and gravel one mile from Dornoch on the A949 Evelix road which links the town to the A9.
But the level of concern has exploded since the start of July, with at least 68 public objections being submitted by yesterday’s deadline.
Frequent issues raised were noise and dust pollution, economic impact on the town caused by the visual eyesore, and the danger of positioning a right-turning access junction from the road at the foot of a blind summit.
Objector Stuart Richardson, who lives just off Evelix Road opposite the proposed access junction, expressed his anger with the plans and was especially concerned about his wife and daughter, who both have asthma.
A number of comments also highlighted that extra lorries on the road will pose an added safety risk to children who walk to school each day along what is, already, a very narrow pavement.
The negative impact on widlife is also a concern, particularly on common amphibians living in a small body of water adjacent to the 17.5-acre site, called Loch-an-Treel.
The proposed site, which will involve one year’s preparation and a nine-year progressive quarrying and restoration programme, sits just south of a glacial ridge deposit known as an “esker”.
Several comments have referred to this as a feature of beauty and national interest which must be preserved. They have also sad that its removal would have an impact on the range of Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age ritual and settlement remains which exist in this specific area.
There are already quarries on nearby farmland at Evelix as well as at Auchlea, which lies between Camore and Pitgrudy.
Yvone Ross, chairwoman of Dornoch and District community council, said: “It is the community’s views which we have taken forward and I am amazed at the work and time that people have put into it to get all of the information needed for this.
“We are hopeful that the powers at be look at the policies which are written down and stand by them.”