An application to create a 100-acre quarry on the outskirts of Ottery has once again faced backlash from civic leaders.

Aggregate Industries’ (AI) proposals to extract up to 1.5million tonnes of raised sand and gravel at Straitgate Farm came before Ottery Town Council’s planning committee after the firm submitted further environmental information.

In the additional documents, the developer has suggested a traffic light-controlled cattle crossing on the B3174 to meet the farm’s grazing needs.

The quarry has been earmarked as an approved site, but has not received planning permission.

On Monday, the committee voted again not to support the application.

Councillor Roger Giles said the idea of a cattle crossing was ‘absolutely outrageous’ and ‘atrocious’. He added: “This is a planning application that is very detrimental to Ottery and the surrounding areas and here is an opportunity to express our views once again.

“There are going to be four movements of cattle a day across that road, just below Daisymount, with traffic lights.

“If we weren’t concerned enough about the hundreds of slow-moving vehicles going up and down and across that road, we are now facing the prospect of traffic being stopped for cattle coming across four times a day, 365 days a year.

“I think that is absolutely outrageous and atrocious and I can’t think of anything more damaging and dangerous.”

Cllr Giles reiterated his previous concerns from March, which included traffic, flooding, water supplies, wildlife and landscape issues.

He added: “The town council has very serious concerns about the proposals to have laden lorries exiting the site and turning right across a heavy flow of fast moving traffic and travelling slowly uphill along Exeter Road to Daisymount.

“And we have very serious concerns about the proposals for unladen lorries slowly executing a left turn from the B3174 towards the site with a heavy flow of fast moving traffic coming up behind, speeding downhill from Daisymount.”

Members supported the request to resubmit their previous concerns, as well as adding ‘very strong’ objections to the cattle crossing.

The fate of the application will be decided by Devon County Council.