RESIDENTS of a Worcestershire village are fighting plans to extend a quarry which they fear will destroy the heart of their community.

Tarmac Ltd is proposing to extract 1.3 million tonnes of sand and gravel for the construction industry from land to the north and north-west of Church Farm East and Church Farm South at Ball Mill Quarry, Grimley.

The company has already been working in the village for more than 15 years as it was given permission in 1988 for extraction work at Ball Mill Quarry.

The new application would extend the quarry by a total of 70 hectares, with excavations expected to continue for another five years. A similar scheme to the current application was rejected 25 years ago.

However, resident Robin Humphreys - who lives next to the proposed new site - said villagers believed when the latest works came to an end, the company would move on.

Residents now say it is one step too far and will destroy a field at the heart of the village, only 60 metres from people's homes.

They also fear the new site, off the A443 Hallow to Worcester Road, will create further noise and pollution problems and have formed a group to fight it.

Mr Humphreys said: "The site is a field which is very much the heart and soul of the village.

"We feel quite angry about it as there is a real concern that this might destroy the heart of the community."

The company has already excavated on Church Farm, still partly used for silt lagoons, and is in the last stages of excavations at Retreat Farm in the village.

Stuart Lawrence, Tarmac's senior estates surveyor, said the application was being made to ensure there was sufficient future sand and gravel and the mined areas would be fully restored as agricultural land and wildlife habitat afterwards.

"We're stressing the extension provides for continuity of existing operations and will not result in increased traffic movements.

"The continued operation of the site will benefit the local economy and contribute to Worcestershire's biodiversity objectives."

The scheme has been submitted to Worcestershire County Council as the mineral planning authority and the deadline for submissions is Thursday, October 6.