Plans to extend Craig yr Hesg quarry near Pontypridd and allow it to keep going for several more years have been allowed on appeal despite objections from residents and the council. Appeals against decisions to refuse the applications have been allowed by an inspector from PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales), subject to conditions, and the minister for climate change, Julie James, has agreed with the outcomes.
Hanson UK, which runs the quarry, had applied for a western extension of the quarry in Glyncoch to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council but the planning committee unanimously refused the plans in February, 2020 with more than 400 people objecting to them at the time. The plans involve an extra 10 million tonnes of pennant sandstone being quarried, a screening bund, an extension of the end date for quarrying and an overall restoration scheme.
The 37 hectare site is 1km north of Pontypridd and the plan was to expand the site by over 11 hectares. Main concerns with the plans were related to noise, vibration and blasting from the site, the impact on air quality, the distance between the quarrying and residential areas, the impact on local roads and the effect on ecology and the countryside. You can get more Pontypridd news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
