Victory for locals in battle against cement producer's quarry proposal

DEDICATED local activists are celebrating after successfully battling against plans for a mega-quarry by the world's largest cement producer.

- by BRADLEY GERRARD Local Democracy Reporter

The Straitgate Action Group said the “ludicrous” plan by Holcim, formerly known as Aggregate Industries, to excavate around a million tonnes of sand and gravel from farmland in Ottery St Mary was now “dead, kaput, finito” after decades of opposition.

“Despite relentless attempts over many, many years - the company has finally had to admit defeat,” the action group said in a statement. “Its plans could not work.”

The group added that Holcim, a Swiss multinational firm, had submitted an application this year to quarry 3.9 million tonnes of sand and gravel as an extension to its Hill-head site near Uffculme, meaning walking away from Straitgate would not mean “the company or the county will run short of aggregate”.

A spokesperson for Holcim said it had agreed to sell Straitgate Farm and that it “no longer seeks to quarry the land”.