Angry villagers and a local MP protested outside St John's College at the University of Oxford in a bid to stop a sand and gravel quarry being built just 650 metres from a primary school.

Locals have been battling against the 90-hectare Barford development, on land owned by the historic college, for seven years.

The quarry, put forward by Smiths Concrete, was included in Warwickshire County Council's new minerals plan which was approved earlier this year.

And on Saturday, November 12, 100 residents and MP for Warwick and Leamington Matt Western made the journey to Oxford to coincide with COP27.

The villagers protested peacefully with banners outside the college to raise awareness of what they say the quarry will do to their community.

One of the protesters also managed to hand out a leaflet to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, who happened to be in Oxford that day.

Campaigners have been battling the plans for seven years (image supplied)

Malcolm Eykyn, one of the committee members against the Quarry, said: "Our protest went well, and the students were gravely concerned and angry to hear what their college is doing.

"We believe the college doesn't really understand the implications of what they are about to do.

"By going ahead with this 15-year mining process, toxic silica dust and diesel fume particulates from up to 400 HGV movements per day will become airborne for residents to inhale, exposing them to risk of permanent ill health.

"The carbon footprint of this activity combined with that of the mining extraction machinery will adversely contribute to greenhouse gas emissions into our atmosphere. Barford is already registered as an atmospherically highly polluted village locality."

Locals maintain that there is no need for the quarry and say it is far too close to the village - far closer to a settlement than any of the other sites included in WCC's plan.

Campaigners also say the HGV's and the air pollution will be a health hazard.

The land the quarry would be built on is owned by St John's collge (image supplied)

Mr Western added: "It was great to see so many at the protest continuing this campaign. We are still fighting to protect the quality of life and our future in Barford and I'm proud to associate myself with this campaign.

"I genuinely believe we can win. There is no need for this quarry, it's in the wrong place.

"St John's can cancel the contract and other sites can be used."

Following the protests, Ray Chambers, Smiths general manager said: "Much has been said in the local communities close to our proposed sand and gravel quarry at Wasperton Fields, with some wilfully misinterpreting unrelated and historical information which has needlessly raised concerns among residents about our proposals.

 "Sand and gravel reserves in Warwickshire are running out and the alternative would be bringing in supplies adding to costs, HGV traffic and transport-related emissions.

"What the protestors in Oxford are also ignoring is that the potential air quality and dust hazards from quarries are well known and understood and are addressed by stringent regulatory controls set to protect health.

 "We're now sending invitations to all those who would be our near neighbours at Wasperton to visit one of our nearby sites – so they can see first-hand what sand and gravel extraction, alongside progressive restoration is really like." 

The protest was timed to coincide with the COP27 summit (image supplied)