School children, parents and teachers gathered on Bengeo Primary School’s playing field on Tuesday to show their opposition to a planned nearby gravel pit.
A drone camera flew overhead and filmed the protestors holding up posters that spelled out a huge NO. They wanted to highlight just how close the proposed quarry would be to their school.
School governor Libby Mountford said it was “disappointing” that, after last year’s unanimous rejection of the application by Hertfordshire County Council’s Development Control Committee, Bengeo residents were having to renew their campaign against the pit.
“We shouldn’t have to do this all over again. The idea of excavating 1.25 million tonnes of sand and gravel – which we do not need – from a beautiful field so close to a primary school of 500 children and to so many people’s homes, is preposterous,” she commented.
Campaigners believe that the dangers of silica dust in the air and the extra heavy lorries on the B158, plus the potential threat to the purity of Hertford’s water supply, make for an overwhelming case for rejection.
They hope to fill the Council Chamber at County Hall this coming Thursday 26th April, when councillors will discuss and vote on the new application. Coaches will leave The Avenue shops at 9.00am (priority for senior members of the community) and at 9.15am from Bengeo School (priority for children).
An appeal against last year’s rejection of the application of a plan to excavate 1.75 million tonnes from the same field starts at County Hall on Tuesday May 1st at 10.00am.