THE latest stage of plans to quarry sand and gravel from land in Mid Devon is set to go ahead, despite the "shock and dismay" from nearby residents and parish councils.

A public consultation on the latest draft of the Devon Minerals Plan has been launched by Devon County Council.

Members of the public have 12 weeks to have their say on the pre-submission draft of the plan.

Consultation has already been held to develop the plan to this stage and after a "detailed" appraisal of over 20 options, Penslade Cross, near Uffculme has been earmarked as a “preferred site” for sand and gravel extraction.

Three parish councils, one action group and 125 individuals/organisations have already objected to the potential of mineral extraction in the area, with Uffculme decrying the "woeful lack of consideration" for residents.

Only two responses from the Uffculme area supported the extraction.

The most commonly cited concerns were the impact on traffic/road safety, followed closely by noise, dust, general pollution, proximity to residential properties, businesses, landscape and visual impact, impact on the environment, the negative impact on property prices and the cumulative effect of the proposal, with an existing mineral site, landfill and industrial uses nearby.

In their response to the plan,Uffculme Parish Council said: "The shock and dismay aroused in residents of the Parish by the scale and location of the proposed sites would have left little doubt in the minds of Devon County Council officers about the strength of local feeling about these sites.

"Both workings will be too close to dwellings:100m from the hamlet of Appledore and only 500m from the sizeable village of Uffculme.

"The Parish Council is sensitive to its parishioner's long drawn out patience with the quarrying operations at Hillhead, started in the early 1960s, and landfill operations at Broadpath that have been going on since 1998.

"Before this, from the 1940s until the late 1980s, a landfill waste disposal site operated at Gaddon Down, just over 1km south of Uffculme village. There is a local consensus that, for the time being at least, enough is enough.

Burlescombe Parish Council has also strongly objected to the plan.

The Devon Minerals Plan aims to maintain the supply of a wide range of mineral resources.

Cllr Jerry Brook, chairman of Devon County Council’s Development Management Committee, said: “This latest consultation is another opportunity for people across the county to have their say and help inform the development of the emerging Devon Minerals Plan.

"The plan has to balance the supply of the county’s natural mineral resources, while minimising the impact on Devon’s environment and local residents. We feel we have struck the right balance, but look forward to hearing peoples’ views.”

Following the consultation, the document will be submitted to the Secretary of State in early 2016, together with all responses.

The Secretary of State will then appoint an inspector to hold an inquiry.

It is anticipated that the Minerals Plan will be adopted by the end of 2016.

The consultation will continue until Monday, November 16 and is available at council offices or via devonnewscentre.info.