PEOPLE are being urged to make their views known about a proposed quarry extension.

The consultation period for work at the Roke Manor Quarry comes to an end in less than a week.

An application to extend the Roke Manor Quarry, owned by Raymond Brown Quarry Products, was submitted early in 2021 to Hampshire County Council.

After an extensive consultation phase, people now have less than a week to object or support the plans.

The planned extension could see 600,000 tonnes of sand and gravel extracted for construction projects and it would also retain employees for an additional five years.

SEE MORE:Raymond Brown Quarry Products Ltd's plans to extend quarry near Romsey generates fears over noisy machines

The application has caused anger among neighbouring residents, who are concerned about the impact on the environment, the extra noise, light and dust, and extra vehicle movements to the site.

Lizzie Brazier, resident of Old Salisbury Lane, said: "Raymond Brown pay lip service to our regular complaints and are treating our concerns re the extension with similar dismissal.

"This extension will only provide three months extra gravel/clay against eight years, and beyond, of disruption to the residents who live adjacent to the site as well as the decimation of wildlife, flora and ancient trees and hedgerows."

At the Romsey Extra and Romsey Parish Council's joint planning committee meeting on Thursday, January 6, the application was met with a unanimous ‘strong objection’.

Councillors also raised concerns about the potential loss of ancient hedges and wildlife.

A spokesperson from Raymond Brown Quarry Products Ltd, which operates several exsisting facilities across Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire, has previously defended the application and claimed there was a huge demand for the materials they extract.

They said: "There is a clear and pressing need for additional mineral reserves to support the wider economy in this particular part of the county and Roke Manor Quarry is ideally placed to continue to meet that local demand.

"The proposed extension has been carefully designed to minimise impacts on both the environment and the local community and, upon restoration, will be returned to agriculture with enhanced wildlife habitat, exceeding national standards for biodiversity net gain."

To make comments about the plans visit view-applications.testvalley.gov.uk/online-applications/ and enter reference 21/01274/CMAS

Responses must be made by Monday, January 17.

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Kimberley Barber