ISLANDERS are not giving up their fight against a quarry firm application that could affect access to Portland’s Coastal Strip through Southwell.

Plans to open up an entry in Southwell to an unexploited area of stone at the southern tip of the island, known as the Coastal Strip, has caused uproar from local residents and councillors.

As well as noise and disruption from lorry movements and quarry operations, islanders have expressed concern about the effect the works will have on the environmentally sensitive and wildlife-rich heritage coast.

At the weekend a protest was held on the island against the proposals, which would pave the way for intense quarrying for the next 40 years.

Ray Nowak, the borough council’s spokesperson for economic development, was at the protest. He said: “The proposal means a terrible amount of additional lorries through Southwell every 20 seconds for the next two years at least. It would have a horrific impact on the environment; the proposals would keep the cliff face but everything behind the cliff face would be quarried out.

“This would affect not just Southwell but the whole of the island. Southwell would get all of the dust, dirt and the aggravation.

“The arguments have been going on for years, but we’re hoping we will soon know the outcome and that Dorset County Council will find a way to prevent this proposal from taking place.”

In 2009, Dorset County Council modified permission to prevent quarrying in sensitive areas of the strip, which were protected by European legislation.

But in response, Portland Stone Firms launched a multimillion pound compensation claim, stating it could no longer access the strip at a suitable site.

Defending against the claim, the county council applied with a Certificate of Proposed Lawful Development to create a new vehicle access to the site off Southwell Road.

This led to Portland Stone Firms submitting a screening opinion to test whether an environment impact assessment was needed.

Planning permission to quarry island sites has been in place since 1951. Portland Stone Firms has 50 per cent of its future reserves in the Coastal Strip.

Portland town councillor Sue Lees said allowing access to the Coastal Strip would be disastrous.

She added: “So many people use the paths – walkers, visitors, horse riders. Entrance into the quaint coastal village with lorries moving in and out during the day would spoil the atmosphere.”

Cllr Penny McCartney, who represents the Tophill West ward for the borough council, said the aim is to attract tourism to the island, but questioned how people would feel coming through Southwell and seeing ‘the beautiful stretch of coastline ruined’.

Portland resident Cindy Lee said the proposal, if given the go ahead, would affect everyone. She added that she would be very disappointed to see such ‘a narrow road and residential area ruined’.