VILLAGERS from Bidford and Marlcliff are set to join forces with Salford Priors residents in rejecting a planning application made by the quarry firm RMX Materials.

Villagers in Salford Prior are concerned about the application made by RMX and will be attending a meeting next Tuesday to decide on whether a parish poll should be held on the strength of objections to the plans.

Kim James, chairman for the Salford Prior Parish Council has produced a newsletter with comments from two experts, Tony Rhymer a chartered engineer and a member of the Bidford Residents Group and Charles Coward, a civil engineer from Salford Priors.

Cllr James said: "Bidford and Salford Priors will join forces in rejecting this application with support from our officers within the parish council. We've taken advice locally on this and the newsletter is just the start in the rejection of this application."

Parish councillors along with Peter French and Walter Stafford from the Bidford Resident Group welcomed the news.

Stratford district councillor, Cllr Peter Barnes said: "If we are going to fight this we need everyone to send their letters to the district council. I think it's important. Even if they put a fence around it, it will still be a problem because if we get flooded the water will just tear down those fences."

Bidford villagers are opposing the planning application submitted by RMX to Warwickshire County Council to extend its sand and gravel workings at Marsh Farm Quarry in Salford Priors. The extraction at Broom Court Farm to the south of Bidford Road (B439) is expected to last for about 5 years.

A parish poll for Bidford has been called for Thursday, May 19.