Campaigners have welcomed the decision to withdraw a planning application for gravel extraction next to the village of Barton in Fabis and Clifton and just a few hundred metres from the world-famous Attenborough Nature Reserve.
The plans, which would have seen the local area plagued by noise and dust would also have massively impacted migratory birds and local wildlife. They were opposed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust who run Attenborough Nature Reserve.
A huge campaign of opposition from residents and wildlife campaigners had seen more than a thousand objections submitted to County Council’s planning portal.
Although this version of the application has been scrapped, the applicant has said they intend to submit a new application next year.
Julian Coles, who is a member of Barton in Fabis Parish Council and the SAVE campaign group welcomed the decision: “This is the wrong place to put a gravel pit. It’s so close to our village, Larkhill Retirement Village and Attenborough Nature reserve.
It’s great to see it gone after 8 years.
This isn’t the end of our fight, but this is a good day for the residents of Larkhill Retirement Village, the wildlife of Attenborough Nature Reserve and all our local communities.
A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust said: “Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has been fighting to protect wildlife from the threat of a huge sand and gravel quarry at Barton in Fabis, directly across the River Trent from our Attenborough Nature Reserve for almost a decade. We therefore welcome news that the application has been withdrawn, but remain committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with local campaigners.