Residents in Purbeck have been given their chance to have their say on new plans to expand a mineral extraction site in the district.

The region is already well-known for its ball clay, sand and gravel extraction, as well as being famous for Purbeck Stone.

Under proposals submitted earlier this month, Aggregate Industries UK Ltd has launched a bid to expand quarry operations at Tatchells Quarry at Wareham.

Under the plans, Aggregate Industries are applying for planning permission for a southern extension to develop land for the extraction of sand and gravel to the South of Carey Road on land known as Baggs Land which lies immediately adjacent to the existing southern area of Tatchell’s Quarry.

Meanwhile, the extracted material is currently processed at a separate site to the north of Carey Road which under the plans will continue to be used. This would result in an area of approximately 2.96 hectares of land being designated for quarry use.

Tatchell’s Quarry has historically extracted up to 70,000 tonnes per annum of various grades of sand for local construction markets across south Dorset, however, the proposals will see 230,000 tonnes of fine sand and 50,000 tonnes of overlying clay flint.

The company says that the plans were vital in order to continue being a competitor in the industry.

In a statement, Aggregate Industries, added: “The site is considered to be a sustainable option for maintaining the supply of sand and gravel and is thus ‘allocated’ within the Submission Version of the Draft Mineral Sites Plan.”

“Currently, it is anticipated that extraction of Baggs Land would take approximately 4 years to complete and thereafter, the site would be restored using site-won materials to a mosaic of interconnected habitats for the benefit of nature conservation and ecology.”

Addressing environmental concerns, it was not anticipated that there would be an increase in numbers of HGVs using the roads from those already permitted and therefore no anticipated increase in carbon emissions.

Aggregate Industries added that the sand material excavated from Baggs Land would be sold for various uses,

Representations can be made online or in writing to County Hall in Dorchester.

The plans will be discussed by Dorset County Council later this year before a final decision is made.