We’re campaigning against a planning application for a quarry, in the beautiful, peaceful area of woods and countryside bettwen Barton in Fabis, Clifton Village and Clifton. Full details of the plans can be found by using the Notts County Council link and the video of the site area can be found below.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION IS CURRENTLY OPEN FOLLOWING THE SUBMISSION OF APPLICANT’S RESPONSE TO THE SECOND REGULATION 25
Please object by 8th August 2025
There have been over 1,000 objections so far. This includes important objections from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Holme Pit Action Group, the Council’s own Landscape Officer, East Midlands Airport and Cadent (who manage the gas main at the site). All these objections do still count - but with the new set of ReformUK councillors, it will be important for them to understand the breadth of public objection.
To further bolster these objections, Rushcliffe Borough Council Planning Committee voted unanimously to object to the quarry application. They are not the decision making Council (that is Nottinghamshire County Council) but their objection is important and weighty. Their objection identifies the application as an inappropriate use of green belt land and that it has not adequately demonstrated the development would not have significant adverse impacts on the area. This decision notice can be read here.
Why is there a THIRD period of public consultation?
The County Council met with the Applicant to give them a chance to revise their application in the light of comments and questions raised by the various consultees. This is known as a 'Supplementary Information Request under Regulation 25'. The areas where more information is required are numerous and indicate that the information provided was not adequate or robust enough - a letter from the Council outlining these issues can be found on the More information page.
The Applicant’s submitted their response to the first Regulation 25, and the Council then issued them with a second Regulation 25, you can view this here. This letter shows there are still many elements of the application submitted that are not adequate. The applicants have now submitted their second response so there is a new public consultation window - this is the time to object to this latest submission.
If you have objected before, please object again, and if you haven’t - please consider objecting as every voice counts and builds the picture of the wide spread public objection - particularly important with the newly elected Councillors. See our How to object page for how to have your say.
Please note: button takes you to a disclaimer first
Why are we opposed to the quarry?
Ever since it was first proposed in 2014, the local communities have opposed the development of a quarry which would cover all the land between Barton in Fabis alongside the Trent as far as Clifton Woods.
This site would have an estimated life of 12 years and an output of 200,000 tonnes every year and would not be restored and established for up to 25 years.
We managed to delay an initial planning application in 2017 and a revised planning application in 2021 was withdrawn in 2022 after another successful campaign.
How the area looks now:
What it could look like if the quarry goes ahead, this is the applicant’s other quarry:
The effect on people and communities
26,000 people live within 1.5km of the site.
This site will create a lot of dust! It will have a worrying impact on air quality in a populated area.
No consideration has been given to the residents of Lark Hill Retirement Village, which the site will overlook - 40% of residents have breathing difficulties. The residents have had the threat of this quarry hang over them for 10 years of their retirement now!
Gravel extraction will involve huge, heavy and noisy machinery operating on the site 6 days a week and 11 hours a day. Dewatering pumps will at times run day and night.
The site will require a giant processing site at Mill Hill with 29,000 lorry movements each year and will significantly add to already problematic traffic levels.
Attenborough nature reserve is 70m from the edge of the site, which attracts more than 600,000 visitors annually.
The footpath between Clifton and Barton is heavily used by walkers, cyclists, runners and horse riders and no alternative is possible.
We have the support of all our local County, Borough and City Councillors and our MPs Lilian Greenwood and Ruth Edwards. But we really need your support too!
The effect on the environment
This proposal would devastate 79 hectares (200 acres) of prime wildlife habitat and feeding grounds for birds using Attenborough Nature Reserve.
The whole valley area between the river and Clifton Woods would be destroyed for at least 12 years and even then, would never be the same.
The peace and quiet of this countryside that many enjoy would be permanently damaged – remember how many people valued that during lockdown and continue to do so!
There are many red list (critically endangered) and even more amber list species potentially impacted by the development of the site.
The quarry will have a huge impact on Two Sites of Special Scientific Interest - SSSIs (Attenborough Nature Reserve and Holme Pit) and 7 Local Wildlife Sites are directly or indirectly impacted by the proposed development.
The surrounding woodlands are officially designated as ‘Ancient Woodlands’ and would be impacted by habitat loss, noise, light and dust.
There is extensive ancient ‘ridge and furrow’ land adjacent to the proposed site that will be affected.
The development would result in substantial harm during the operational phase to the setting of the Grade 1 listed Clifton Hall.
It doesn’t make sense!
Nottingham County Council’s own analysis showed that this site is the least sustainable of all the potential sites considered in the county both during the operational phase and in the long term.
There is no significant advantage to this site over other potential sites in the South of the County and neighbouring counties in terms of the market for aggregates.
Nottinghamshire already has enough supplies of sand and gravel to last 15 years (over twice the government target of 7 years) and demand is falling.
AND
It will not stop there, if planning permission is granted then in future years the County Council is likely to approve extensions which would further affect surrounding areas such as Barton in Fabis, Thrumpton and towards Nottingham city.