An established Cumbrian firm has revealed plans to open a new quarry for sand and gravel.
DA Harrison, based in Silloth, currently uses High House, near Aldoth, as a quarry, but its reserves are running low and the firm needs to find an alternative.
It has put forward the site – currently used for agriculture – at Goodyhills, five miles north of Aspatria and southwest of Dubs Tarn, lodged an initial notice of a planning application.
About 100,000 tonnes of sand and gravel is estimated to be exported off the site a year – around 3,570 HGV loads, which over a week of 50 operational hours it would be 72 HGV loads.
Supporting statements report that proposed operational hours would be 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 7am to 1pm on Saturdays.
The proposals are in the scoping phase, meaning that a planning application has not been formally submitted yet. Those involved are currently assessing the issues that would be involved in the development at the site.
Scoping responses would then be included in an environmental impact assessment when it is submitted to the council with the planning application.
DA Harrison, which employs around 200 people, said access to good quality local sand was essential. The company has grown throughout the last 30 years to the extent that in addition to supplying its long-standing agricultural buildings and local construction projects customer base, it is now involved in major infrastructure works ongoing in the region.
It said to source a supply of sand and gravel from outside of Cumbria would have significant economic and environmental costs, particularly in terms of road miles and logistics.
If approved, the quarry site would be accessed from the C2019 road, 300 metres south west of the B5301.
It is expected that operations at the quarry would be split into five phases, with the first and second phase beginning at the northern point of the quarry in a south westerly direction.
The county council has received the plans as the authority responsible for planning applications involving minerals and waste.
