Today is the final official day for comments on a massive quarry scheme, but so far only 130 objections have been received by the county council.
Brett Aggregates have applied for planning permission to extract sand and gravel from the 87-hectare Hatfield Aerodrome site which is on the doorstep of Smallford.
The company are proposing to work the quarry for 32 years with hundreds of lorries entering and leaving the site from Oaklands Lane towards Hatfield Road.
Smallford Residents Association has submitted a lengthy objection to the scheme, pointing out that should it go ahead it would be two and a half times larger than the site of the proposed rail freight interchange on Radlett Airfield in Park Street.
Individual objections like that submitted by local resident David Morgan, raise numerous other issues including the loss of Green Belt Lane and open space for local people, the loss of footpaths and bridleways and damage to wildlife and nature, as well as traffic disruption and pollution.
In his objection, he stressed that the site separated St Albans from Hatfield and was totally unsuitable for such a use.
He also warned about the disastrous impact on wildlife on a site which is home to many different birds and animals, including owls, skylarks, cuckoos and crested newts.
The application is unlikely to go before county councillors until the end of May and any remaining comments should be sent to spatialplanning@hertfordshire.gov.uk
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