Plans to create a 178 hectare quarry on the former RAF Down Ampney base have been approved despite concerns by locals.

Hills Quarry Products can now forge ahead with work to transform the arable farmland, which is part of Cotswold Water Park, into Airfield Quarry.

It said the extraction of sand and gravel from the land could generate more than 50 jobs and contribute £76million to the local economy.

They said it will also mean the continued supply of vital building materials to companies in Gloucestershire and beyond.

Kempsford Parish Council fought against the plans saying they would cause safety issues on a local road which is already heavily used by HGVs from other local quarries.

Cllr Stephen Andrews said the C124/Kempsford Road which runs between Kempsford and Marston Meysey was already being damaged by hundreds of lorry movements, leaving road users having to swerve onto the wrong side of the road to dodge potholes.

He said: "The cumulative effect of the use of this minor rural road by the quarries along it should be considered to be severe, with appropriate measures to ensure the safety of road users."

He said before the plans were approved Gloucestershire County Council needed to ensure an "adequate regime of inspection and repair" was in place to ensure public safety.

Mike Hill, CEO of The Hills Group, spoke at the meeting and pointed out that Airfield would replace quarries it operated at Latton Cerney Wick and Shorncote which are in the later stages of their operational life.

He added: "This quarry has been proposed as it not only secures Gloucestershire's mineral supply but also importantly secures the skilled jobs that are associated with their operations.

"Hills wants to be able to offer those who work in the current quarries the opportunity to relocate to Airfield and continue their careers with us."

The council's planning committee discussed the application at a meeting on Thursday (Sept 28) and also heard from two local residents who objected to the proposals.

One said the plans should be withdrawn until a proper plan for protection of skylarks nesting on the site had been created.

Another said the application contained incorrect information about local waterways that needed to be addressed before the impact could be assessed.

Hills Quarry Products and Farmcare Trading Limited have been working on the plans since 2020. They include an aggregate processing plant, a concrete plant and a bagging operation, together with the associated infrastructure of silt lagoons, offices, welfare facilities, wheel washes and weighbridges.

The company will also build an education and visitor centre which will inform people about how aggregate extraction underpins many aspects of society from built infrastructure such as the construction of roads, houses and public buildings through to water purification and agriculture.

Extraction will take place over 13 years once initial site works are completed and phased restoration to rerun the site to farmland will take place over 25 years.

The developers said the quarry could contribute more than £2m each year to the local economy.

Officers had recommended the application for approval subject to the prior completion of a S106 planning obligation to secure the implementation of a Wildlife Hazard Management Plan.

Cllr Graham Morgan (L, Cinderford) said he thought a "good job" had been done on the plans and phased restoration and he was happy to support them.

Cllr Chris McFarling (Green, Sedbury) said the application filled him with "despair" and he could not support it due to the huge carbon footprint created by the thousands of diesel truck movements.

Committee members voted to approve the plans.

Following the decision Mr Hill said: "The company's record for archaeology, award-winning restoration and community consultation is exemplary, as demonstrated throughout the

Cotswold Water Park, and we are excited about commencing work on this critical project.