Warwickshire County Council has adopted its new minerals local plan – four years after it was due to be in place.

But it failed to get the backing of opposition councillors or the Conservative member whose area covers the Wasperton quarry site which has prompted a campaign from nearby residents.

The plan, which was due to run from 2018 to 2032, incorporates a strategy for supplying the minerals the county and others need to provide the infrastructure, buildings, energy and goods.

Cllr Wallace Redmond, the portfolio holder for transport and planning, explained the lengthy consultation process at this week's full council meeting.

He said: "Residents and stakeholders have had the opportunity to comment through a number of stages of consultation since 2015 – there was a slight delay due to Covid. Their cases were heard by the inspector of the examination hearings in 2020.

"At the hearings, following extensive discussions from all sides, a number of matters were flagged up by the inspector where the council was required to consider further changes. All these were completed satisfactorily and consultation took place.

"Following consultation, the council fed back to the inspector all the comments that were received. This resulted in the inspector requesting the council to respond to further questions."

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

Cllr Redford added that a final draft was produced last month which was found to be sound but added that further challenges could still be made within six weeks of the plan being adopted.

And he said: "You have to bear in mind that, if in the future, any of these sites is selected then it has to go through the full planning consultation process when anyone will have the opportunity to raise concerns."

Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors all spoke against the minerals plan as did Cllr Jan Matecki who questioned the need for the Wasperton site to be included.

He said: "There has been consultation but this was based on the facts that were correct at the time and things have moved forward so the position today is different.

"I accept that there is an opportunity at the planning stage to object to this but actually if it is in the minerals plan then it is going to be a very difficult position to argue against because that's the way things work.

"I have a lot of issues about the plan because it is out of date. Dunton Quarry [in Curdworth, North Warwickshire] is currently producing between 200,000-250,000 tonnes of sand and gravel a year which is actually more than the Wasperton Quarry is scheduled to produce so, do we really need it?"

Cllr Matckski explained that Wasperton would be just 100 metres away from the proposed quarry at Wasperton Farm with Barford also nearby

Seven quarry sites have been included in the new Warwickshire Minerals Plan (Image via WCC)

He added: "I am a realist. I know we have to have a plan and we have to have material stock but as Dunton Quarry has been given an extension, I do not believe that the Wasperton site needs to be in this plan at this time."

The plan was approved by 35 votes to ten with two abstentions – Cllr Matecki and Cllr Judy Falp.

Following the announcement Ray Chambers, general manager of Smiths Concrete which is putting forward the Barford site said: "Our proposals for a new sand and gravel quarry at Wasperton Farm would provide around a third of Warwickshire's needs for the next 10+ years.

"So, we're heartened now councillors have accepted the recommendation made by both council officers and the inspector to include the site in the county's confirmed minerals plan. 

"Every county must secure its own sources of aggregate for use in building and maintaining homes, schools and hospitals, as well as for use in constructing the infrastructure needed for our low carbon future.

"With supplies in Warwickshire becoming increasingly strained, the alternative to identifying local quarries would be bringing in supplies adding to costs, HGV traffic and transport-related emissions.

"Warwickshire County Council's determination of its minerals plan is a significant step forward and Smiths is now focusing on finalising our detailed plans for Wasperton Farm – assured that the important role it could play in securing the county's sand and gravel needs is firmly acknowledged."