A PARISH poll could be organised in Bidford to test local feeling about plans for an extension to sand and gravel workings at Marsh Farm Quarry, Salford Priors.

The plans have been submitted by RMC Materials, now part of CEMEX, and the company has organised an exhibition at the Crawford Memorial Hall from 9am to 2pm this Saturday along with details of the application.

Bidford Parish Council has also organised a public meeting to give parishioners a chance to have their say at the Parish Meeting Room on Monday at 7.30pm.

Bidford Residents' Group held a meeting last Saturday and spokesman Walter Stafford said: "What we learned from that was that the site in question covers a huge area from the back of the greenhouses down to the river. It will dominate the entrance to the village and destroy views from Marlcliff and Big Meadow. Astonishingly, it will be completely open from those directions with no shelter at all."

Mr Stafford said there were other deposits in that area and what was a five-and-a-half year plan could easily turn into 20 years.

"The general view of the residents group was absolute horror at the extent of this site and the implications of gravel in and around Bidford," he said.

Mr Stafford said the group would be formulating solid grounds of argument to defeat the plans, part of which could be the parish poll.

Tony Rowley, development and estates manager with the company, said the extraction of sand and gravel was from part of Broom Court Farm to the south of Bidford Road. It will be at the same rate of extraction as the current workings with restoration of the site back to agriculture use along with a series of lakes suitable for nature conservation and fishing. Restoration of the site did not involve the importation of waste minerals.

He said there would be no direct vehicular access to and from the site for the haulage of sand and gravel. The material would be transported by an overland conveyor.

"The company has carried out a detailed environmental impact assessment of the proposals in addition to consultations with Warwickshire County Council, the Environment Agency and English Nature. We are confident the scheme can go ahead."