A group campaigning to prevent quarrying at Dean Quarry near St Keverne has asked for a second judicial review over what it alleges is illegal working at the site.

Cornwall Against Dean Superquarry (CADS) and the group's solicitors Stephens Scown have issued a claim for a new review against Cornwall Council, in the hopes of making the council force the quarry owners to immediately halt any work.

The group claims that the council has decided not to begin enforcement action against Shire Oak Quarries over what they see as unauthorised development without an environmental impact assessment (EIA) in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Spokesperson Alison McGregor said: "Dean Quarry is currently surrounded by a fence which the developer continued to erect after planning permission for the development was quashed in the High Court by Mr Justice Dove.

"At the time both Mr Justice Dove and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the Hon Greg Clark, agreed that the re-opening of Dean Quarry constituted ?major development?, requiring, by definition, an EIA."

She added that the council has said a fence cannot be built without an EIA , and that plans to build and to quarry should be considered together, but as yet no retrospective planning application has been submitted by Shire Oak Quarries, nor have they submitted an EIA.

Without a fence, the group claims, the company "cannot lawfully operate" at the quarry, however blasting was planned to be carried out last week, and recent soil stripping operations have already taken place.

The previously dormant quarry was bought by Shire Oak Quarries in 2015, and in June the council served the company with a planning contravention notice with conditions including the construction of mitigation ponds to protect rare species, removal of the jetty and all disused buildings, and screening and planting on the site. CADS claims these have never been met.

Shire Oak has been served with a notice requiring it to commence "substantive" winning of minerals at Dean Quarry within the next week, or it will have to close the site and begin restoration work.

However, to carry out such a level of quarrying the company would need an EIA, which it has yet to submit or get approved.

Silke Roskilly, chair of CADS, said: "We are bitterly disappointed that yet again we are facing Cornwall Council and Shire Oak Quarries in court, arguing about the same environmental concerns.

"Mr Justice Dove was very clear in his ruling back in December 2015 that the re-opening and developing of Dean Quarry constitutes a major development in an AONB and therefore must have an environmental impact assessment."

Requests for comment have been sent to Shire Oak Quarries and Cornwall Council.