At a meeting of the Resident’s Association last week the consensus was opening up a Greenfield site at Straitgate Farm for quarrying wasn’t warranted when other options were available.

Around 35 residents, along with committee members and Town Councillor Roger Giles, met at the Narthex in the village to discuss a response to Devon County Council’s Minerals Core Strategy consultation. The finished document will identify sites where important raw materials can be excavated for the next 20 years and DCC is trying to get the views of people in East Devon.

Dan Jelly, Chairman of the West Hill Resident’s Association, said locals, including Monica Mortimer who lives next to the 150 acre farm and spoke at the meeting, were angry when the questionnaire sent to them included the possibility of opening up a new sand and gravel quarry at Straitgate, on the edge of West Hill, rather than continuing to use existing quarries.

A spokesman fro Devon County Council spoke at the meeting and outlined the different options they were looking at in order to secure future mineral supplies, explaining Straitgate was an option as it is closer to the new development at Cranbrook, where much of the gravel in East Devon will be required.

There was also a spokesman for Aggregate Industries, the firm who own the land, who confirmed they will look to quarry at the site if possible due to the appeal of the high quality quartzite gravel at Straitgate.