Quarries: Planning Policy

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 16th December 2025 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Murrison. I thank the hon. Member for South Leicestershire (Alberto Costa) for leading the debate. I will give a Northern Ireland perspective, but first, I want to say that quarries bring economic life to communities. They create jobs. All the debate so far has been about the negatives, although we cannot ignore those either. Back home, I always try to find ways of going forward in relationships both with local people who have concerns and with the quarries so that they can continue their work. Quarries can cause noise pollution, environmental impacts, and health risks. It is crucial that the planning policy is correct and properly analysed, and that is why we are having this debate.

Back home in Northern Ireland, we have a range of active quarries. First, there is North Down, a quarry in Newtownards, in my constituency. It is an operational quarry site, supplying stone and aggregates. There is also Whitemountain Quarries, which is listed on the Ballystockart Road in the Comber and Newtownards area. Those quarries are part of a materials and contracting business, supplying ready-mixed concrete. The rock that was brought to build and reinforce the roads around London came from the Ballystockart quarry. Many years ago, I was able to be with those working there one night at 12 o’clock when the stone came across, and they were also doing the roads. Quarries play an intricate and important role in our lives. There are also historical quarries, such as the ones at Scrabo Hill, where there are old sandstone quarry workings, Killynether Wood old quarry and South quarry. Ballygowan quarry, beyond Comber and Newtownards, is one of the largest quarries in the area.

I want to focus on planning policy—it is so important and ensures that the construction process is done properly. For example, materials such as sand, gravel and other finite natural resources are widely used in Northern Ireland and further afield, and planning policy helps to ensure that resources are identified, managed and protected, so that they are available for current use and are managed properly. As an elected representative, I have worked with North Down Quarries. The guys were arriving every morning at half-past 5 or 6 o’clock in the morning, and they were sitting by a row of houses until the quarry opened. After negotiation with the quarry owners and lorry drivers, we ensured that for those neighbours who had concerns, those concerns were alleviated.

Neighbourhood notification allows for greater integration between developers and communities, especially when it comes to managing the impacts of noise, dust and other disturbances. The inclusion of local communities in the decision-making process helps to provide balance, along with protecting the wellbeing of residents. Neighbourhood notifications can also warn residents about blasting, heavy machinery and truck traffic. Dealing with the vibrations of machinery can severely disrupt lives, especially for people who work from home. There can also be damage to property, as has been mentioned, and many people plan their day based on expected noise or vibrations.

The enforcement of rules is critical. The Minister is not responsible for Northern Ireland, but regular and clear communication about quarry operations can help to maintain a long-term, positive relationship between the quarry and the community. That can be essential for future expansion or continued operation. Back home, planning provides clear benefits in relation to protecting the environment and communities, while ensuring correct resource use. However, as we have witnessed in Northern Ireland, there can be huge delays, leading to higher costs and waiting for the unknown. That must also be taken into consideration, for the betterment of public services and for local communities.

Has the Minister had the opportunity to discuss with the relevant Minister in Northern Ireland how we do planning back home? It is not that we are better than anybody else—we are not—but it is about asking: how do we do this in a way that can help us to move forward, and bring quarries and communities together?