Llyr Gruffydd MS Member of the Senedd for North Wales

Recently in the Senedd Llyr Gruffydd calledd for new legislation to protect communities from expansion of quarries

In a debate in the Senedd this week Llyr Gruffydd supported the calls from his party to create 1000m buffer zones between quarries and neighbouring communities.

In the debate, Mr Gruffydd said-
“There are concerns about extending Graig Quarry in Denbigh, which is right on the edge of town. There will be environmental impacts. We know that native trees, broadleaf trees over 100 years old, will be felled.”

Recently plans to extend the quarry , also known as Denbigh Quarry, and allow it to continue for another 25 years were opposed by Denbighshire County Councillors. The quarry expansion could still go ahead pending a decision by the Welsh Government.

Mr Gruffydd added-
“There are concerns at the nearby industrial estate about the impact of dust and vibrations from blasting at the quarry on high-end precision operations that are actually being carried out at the industrial site.
“The expansion will have an effect on social and well-being. The rerouting of public footpaths, wider impacts on access to popular walking spots, impacts of increased noise levels, an effect on air quality—all blighting nearby homes, potentially.”

A proposal, put forward by Plaid Cymru MS Heledd Fychan in the Senedd, called for a mandatory buffer zone of 1,000 metres for all new and existing quarries to be set. The proposal aimed to reduce the risks of proposed quarrying sites to the environment and biodiversity. The aim also was to assess the impact on public health as part of the planning process.

Denbigh Quarry is an active limestone quarry, located to the north of the town. The permitted site comprises approximately 28 hectares of land with the proposed extension area amounting to a further five hectares.

The current use of the land cited for development is agricultural, used for grazing and pasture.

But this land is surrounded by woodland, some of it ancient, including Crest Mawr Woods, and two sites of special scientific interest (SSI).