Bid fails to clip Ross superquarry hours
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A BID to secure more neighbour-friendly working hours at an Easter Ross super quarry has failed.
New operating conditions were granted today (Tuesday) for the working of minerals at Tor Leathan Quarry in Ardross.
The site will be worked between 7am and 7pm weekdays and from 7am to 1pm on Saturdays.
Cromarty Firth SNP councillor Maxine Smith failed in her bid to change the operating hours.
She felt the noise of lorries would be too disruptive to residents and asked that the hours be changed so the working day did not begin until 7.30am.
However, Cllr Smith won no support from fellow members on the north planning applications committee when they approved the conditions.
David Mudie, a development manager for the local authority, said the applicant, Tarmac Lafarge, had voluntarily reduced the extent of the quarry workings from 65 hectares to 6.5 hectares. That area is capable of producing in the region of 2.5million tonnes, equating to 89,286 tonnes per annum.
Mr Mudie said: "There are 60-75 million tonnes of rock reserves within the original working area of the site. This is a super quarry. It’s absolutely massive."
