A public meeting has been called in St Keverne for this Friday to give residents the chance to hear reports into the impact of proposed changes to Dean Quarry.

This is being led by Shire Oak Quarries Ltd, which hopes to build a 600-metre breakwater and extra buildings to make it fully operational 24 hours a day.

The meeting, starting at 6pm in the St Keverne Parish Hall, will include a 90-minute presentation, with a further hour and a half set aside for questions.

Environmental consultants will be on hand to reveal the findings of assessments carried out at the quarry, looking into factors such as noise, transport and the effect on the coastline and waters.

These are among the issues that have prompted concern from some residents, with a committee called Community Against Dean Superquarry set up to fight the plans.

The company will also give details about the 40 jobs it says will be created if the development work goes ahead, together with “proposed community benefits.”

A quarry spokesperson said: “Formally we don’t have to do that meeting at all – we can just submit the document and the council will put it out to members of the public to view.

“We know people want to see it so we have taken the decision to organise the public meeting and make it available.

“We’re bringing a massive team of people down and financing that, to ensure that local members of the community do get their questions answered.”

The company already has permission to quarry during daylight hours Monday to Friday, 7am to 7pm, and for a half day on Saturday, with permission to load 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Although the quarry has not been operational since 2008, it does have an existing minerals consent which is valid until 2035, with 6.3 million tonnes of rock available for extraction.

Shire Oak wants to develop the new breakwater and loading facilities to allow the rock to be transferred by sea, rather than road, to be used in the construction of the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon. The breakwater should also make it possible to load and ship the rock at any time of the day, rather than being dependent on the tides.

The spokesperson said it would mean 300 lorry loads could be replaced with one barge, carrying 9,000 tonnes, saying: “What we’re seeking planning for is to be able to operate the quarry at a pace that meets the need of the tidal lagoon in Swansea, and also form the jetty to get the rock out of Dean Quarry to Swansea.”.

One the planning application for the breakwater is submitted there will be a statutory four month period within which the proposals are considered, providing an opportunity for everyone to make their comments formally to the determining authorities – in this case Cornwall Council and the Marine Management Organisation.

West Cornwall MP Andrew George has promised to attend the meeting this Friday and is in ongoing talks with the company about its plans.