I have been puzzled about the lack of information on the Dean Quarry EIA process – this response provides clarification.

‘Corrections to Dean Quarry article published 29^th August 

Shire Oak Quarries was disappointed by the article entitled ‘Seasearch report on Dean Quarry shines unfavourable light on earlier EIA’ published in CMS Marine News on 29th August 2017.

The article reflected a number of recent press comments which we feel it is important to correct. In particular it references an EIA that has not been finalised or submitted for a project that is not being taken forward.

Initial plans for a breakwater and jetties at Dean Quarry were first outlined in early 2015 during a consultation process. This was accompanied by a preliminary marine ecology survey that was discussed and agreed with the relevant statutory consultee, Natural England. Following comments from the local community these plans were never progressed.

Since then Shire Oak Quarries has been reviewing the operational requirements for the quarry and aims to work closely with consultees and stakeholders to develop a revised project to safeguard the quarry’s future that minimises the development footprint and potential impacts on the local area, including the marine environment. Once a preferred option for the design and operation of the quarry is confirmed, a full EIA will be carried out as appropriate.

The article also cites a local campaign group which has described plans for Dean Quarry (which was previously operational for more than 100 years), as ‘a sea based Superquarry in line with those found in Norway and at Glensanda in Scotland’. In fact, early plans for annual extraction from Dean Quarry were circa 1,000,000 tonnes (and are now likely to be notably less), so have never been on the same scale as the Glensanda quarry in Scotland, which produces circa 10,000,000 tonnes of aggregate per annum.

The lack of public information available about the plans for Dean Quarry reflects the fact that the project has yet to finalise its operational requirements. Once details of a preferred way of operating are determined, Shire Oak Quarries will publicise such plans and have them available for view on their website at www.deanquarry.com

SHIRE OAK QUARRIES Ltd – CMS Right of Reply 18/9/2017