St Keverne's MP has come out in support of the parish by proposing a House of Commons debate on the "damage" that would be caused by a large-scale reopening a neighbouring quarry.

St Ives MP Derek Thomas, whose constituency covers the whole of west Cornwall, including the Lizard Peninsula, has tabled an amendment to a motion put forward by Liberal Democrat Edward Davey, MP for Kingston and Surbiton and former secretary of state for energy and climate change.

Mr Davey tabled an Early Day Motion that the House "calls on the government to announce in the forthcoming Budget to proceed with Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon...as it represents value for money."

However, Mr Thomas has put forward an amendment that instead the House "notes that the proposal for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon currently involves sourcing the necessary armour rock from Dean Quarry...which has been disused for a decade; further notes that the reopening of the quarry on the proposed scale would damage an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, dark skies, an archaeological site and, in particular, the newly-designated Manacles Marine Conservation Zone, ships' graveyard, home to wildlife and divers' paradise."

His amendment also wants the House to commend the recent Seasearch report on The Manacles, "which makes clear the damage renewed quarrying would cause," say it understands that "since the quarry was last exploited a number of businesses have grown up locally which rely on a clean and quiet environment" and say that it "fears for the 100-odd sustainable jobs provided by these undertakings, which far outnumber any offered by the reopening of the quarry."

The amendment continues that the House "is aware that there are other possible sources of suitable rock, one of which is also in the UK but is six miles from the nearest road, rather than 400 yards from houses and half a mile from a school, and is equally able to ship rock by sea" and "calls on the Government to do all in its power to ensure that, should the Tidal Lagoon project proceed, it will not be at the expense of the environment, national network of MCZs, economy and communities of East Lizard."

Early Day Motions are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons, allowing MPs to drawn attention to an event or cause, although very few are actually debated.

Mr Davey's motion also suggests the House "notes that in addition a decision to proceed can deliver huge social and economic value including the creation of a new British industry," creates a new British industry, has "direct and indirect job creation" and "requires less subsidy per unit of electricity produced than Hinkley Point C and less subsidy than any UK offshore wind farm built to date, as well as requiring a lower financial return than new nuclear and offshore wind farm built to date..."

It goes on to mention that it would initially cost 18p per year per household, followed by a "period of subsidy-free electricity" and "proceeding with Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon will unlock a major new British industry highly complementary to the UK's offshore wind industry, given tidal power's predictability and reliability."

The motion has five sponsors and 13 signatures of support.