A proposed 91.5 hectare quarry just 350 metres from a local village looks set to be included in a new minerals masterplan for Warwickshire.

Local residents have been fighting the possible development at Wasperton Farm near Barford for over seven years.

But the quarry is one of seven proposed in the new Warwickshire Minerals Plan which has been recommended for approval at Warwickshire County Council next week.

A council report says: "Minerals are essential in supporting the development of sustainable communities and economic growth.

"It is critical that a sufficient supply of material is maintained in order to support the provision of houses, roads, energy and the infrastructure required in Warwickshire into the future."

The minerals plan, which would run until 2032, has followed a host of public consultations and has now been signed off by an inspector.

Whilst full planning permission would still need to be granted for the individual sites, if WCC choses to adopt the plan next week it would be a major step forward for the Barford quarry.

The Wasperton Farm site is owned by St John's College at the University of Oxford (Image via WCC)

The plan says of the land: "The site has the potential to release 1.8million tonnes of sand and gravel during the plan period.

"Annual production has been estimated at 200,000 tonnes per year giving the site a potential life of nine years."

The land, which is currently owned by St John's College at the University of Oxford, is around 350 metres from the village but the council said it "is unlikely to be any adverse impacts from noise and dust".

But local residents have been battling the plans, which are being put forward by Smiths Concrete, through the 'Stop the Quarry Campaign'.

As well as raising worries about the impact on the environment and noise pollution, the group has raised particular health concerns about the development.

A recent statement on campaign website said: "Barford is 350 yards from the proposed quarry and our residents live directly under the flight path of the prevailing winds that will carry airborne, invisible, fine particles of dust over our village and which we will inhale.

"Especially on dry sunny days. 

"This will accumulate in our lungs and other organs in our bodies over the duration of the life of the mining process. – thought to be a minimum of 10 years."

Seven quarry sites have been put forward for the new Warwickshire Minerals Plan (Image via WCC)

Other concerns have been raised about the impact on local roads.

But the council report says there will be 60 HGV movements a day adding: "The highway authority believe the A429 should be able to accommodate a high volume of traffic and larger vehicles (HGV's) and that it provides an excellent link onto the Strategic Road Network (A46 and M40)."

The campaign against the quarry has also been backed by MP for Warwick and Leamington Matt Western who presented a bill to parliament in December calling for a ban on building quarries near settlements.

During his speech in parliament the Labour MP said: "Across the land a great number of communities face the prospect of communities being permitted that will not just blight their areas, but bring significant risk to human health whilst at the same time, in certain cases, being surplas to requirement."

He added that the Barford scheme "demonstrates this point" and had "pushed him to try and change the law".

The new Warwickshire Minerals Plan will be voted on at full WCC council on Tuesday, July 19.