I was delighted to raise my concerns about the current planning rules for quarries, such as the one proposed in Hamble by Cemex, with the Prime Minister today at Prime Minister's Questions.
There are legitimate concerns about the impact that such a facility would have on the local community in Hamble and I think it is right to consider whether the current regulations go far enough. I personally think the environmental, health and community factors must be fully understood and assessed when making a decision, particularly when these site appear to be operating so close to existing settlements. In Hamble's case, the proposed extraction site would be around 40m from residential properties and be located next door to Hamble School.
The Prime Minister has offered me a meeting with the Planning Minister to discuss these concerns and I will report back once I have had this meeting.
