A metal fence placed around Dean Quarry near St Keverne has been objected to by the parish council due to its impact on the surrounding environment.

Councillors were asked for their views on a retrospective application from Shire Oak Quarries, for the two-metre high metal chain-link fence that already spans the perimeter of the quarry.

In its application the quarry owners said there had been "trespass and vandalism" that made the fence necessary.

Shire Oak Quarries wrote: "The Quarries Regulations approved code of practice advises that barriers will be appropriate where it is reasonably foreseeable that members of the public, including children, are likely to trespass in the quarry and can suffer injury if they do so.

"A public footpath runs along approximately 75 per cent of the quarry boundary at Dean Quarry, there has been ample evidence of trespass and vandalism within the quarry and there are clear health and safety risks within the

quarry."

However, Cornwall councillor Walter Sanger told a meeting of the parish council last week that there was actually no legal requirement to have a perimeter fence around an operating quarry.

Councillor Sarah Lyne described it as a "horrible fence," while councillor Dominic Brandreth pointed out: "In an area of outstanding natural beauty, applications have to conserve and enhance the area. If it doesn't conserve or enhance the area it's not legal."

It was for this reason that the council voted to recommend the application be refused by Cornwall Council's planning department.

Councillor Michael Anselmi warned his fellow members to be mindful of "salami sliced" applications, saying: "I think we have got to be very careful. After the first judicial review there were worries about salami slicing this and it seems it's being a bit salami sliced again by Cornwall Council."

Earlier in the meeting the parish councillors had be urged to object to the application by members of the protest group Cornwall Against Dean Superquarry, including vice chair Jill Ludbrook who claimed the fence was put up following a judicial review hearing in November 2015, but before the verdict.

She said: “It’s a cheap and flimsy fence because it had to go up really quickly, before they were told it shouldn’t go up at all.”

Mrs Ludbrook added that the application should be considered in the wider view of the quarry operations and development.

An objection “in the strongest terms” has also been raised by Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Unit.

Partner manager Colette Beckham wrote to Cornwall Council: “We are very disappointed to see applications coming forward in a piecemeal fashion such as this, with no regard for the cumulative impact of the wider resumption of quarrying at Dean.

“Hopefully Cornwall Council, given the high level judgements from both the High Court and SoS on this issue, will insist that the developers provide an updated EIA that takes the scheme in the round and assesses individual and cumulative impacts properly.

“With so little information it makes the proposal impossible to assess in terms of its effects upon Cornwall's nationally protected landscape, so we will maintain an objection until we have all the necessary information.”

However, the Countryside Access Team and Cornwall Ramblers Association offered no objections.

Should there be a fence around Dean Quarry for safety or is it just an eyesore? Have your say online at thepacket.co.uk or visit the Packet Newspapers Facebook page.