Final chance to have say on Devon’s future quarry plans

...reads the headline in the Sidmouth Herald.

Residents are being urged to take this last chance to submit their views on 199 modifications to the new Devon Minerals Plan which the county council says aim to address objections and strengthen protection of communities.

Decide for yourself if any of the 199 modifications strengthen protection of communities. Here's one of the modifications for Straitgate Farm:

The development of this site will only involve dry working, above the maximum winter (wet) level of groundwater with an unsaturated zone of at least 1m maintained across the site. The depth of working above this level will be determined through monitoring and analysis of historic data, in agreement with the Environment Agency. MM58 Table C.4

It certainly does not strengthen protection for the 100 people and the 3 farms and the mediaeval fish ponds and Tea Room at Grade I Cadhay - that are all totally dependent on their water from springs and wells fed by the aquifer at Straitgate Farm.

Write to mineralsplanning@devon.gov.uk before 23 September if you are concerned by this change, or any of the others.