Fury over plans to fill in Middridge Quarry near Newton Aycliffe

People fear if plans for Middridge Quarry, near Newton Aycliffe, go ahead it could involve years of large tipper trucks transporting waste up the quiet Walker's Lane - used by walkers, runners, bird watchers and horse riders. 

Darlington-based Ward Brothers Steel Ltd, say its proposals, yet to be finalised, will see the transformation of the site, which has become a magnet for anti-social behaviour.

Walker Lane leading to Middridge Quarry Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

But more than 1,300 people have signed a petition to "Stop Middridge Landfill", saying the plans would be a "disaster" for the area. 

Middridge Parish Council, which has been in talks with Ward Bros, welcomed plans to transform the site, but say the benefits would be outweighed by the cost of the disruption.

Read more: Fascinating history of Middridge Quarry

Parish council chairman Harold Howe said: “We are totally opposed to it. We wanted something doing about the quarry, because we have had concerns for a number of years now of young people taking drugs and drinking there, sometimes sitting with their feet over the edge of the quarry rim.

“Ward Bros have put up fences but they have been burned down or damaged. We wanted something more positive.

"There was an initial proposal by the quarry owner to have some sort of landscaped recreational area.

“However, in order to implement this proposal there would need to be a substantial number of heavy lorries travelling along Walker's Lane, and its extension to the bridge over the Stockton & Darlington Railway, for a period of over three years.

"It is absolutely unacceptable along a lane used by dog walkers, mothers with prams and people exercising.

“Walkers Lane is narrow, and lacks passing places. To have lorries bounding up there, not to mention the disruption to house up there would be diabolical."

His deputy Alan Jordan said: "They want to block off the mouth of the quarry with landfill material which would probably prevent off road bikes getting into the quarry and make it generally more attractive.

"But the problem is they want to move 130,000 tonnes of landfill in order to do the job. It will involve an average of nine lorries a day five and half days a week for over three years.

"It has gone down like a lead balloon with everyone whose property borders onto the lane."

Durham county councillor for the area, Michael Stead, said: "If and when a planning application comes in, I will immediately call for it to be referred to committee.

"The plans being suggested will have a massive negative impact on Middridge and the surrounding area. I stand fully in support of residents challenging these proposals."

Read more: Police warning after children spotted close to quarry edge

Andrew Welford, a site manager Ward Bros, said: "That land has been owned by one of our companies for for 40 years. We have never done any quarrying with it. 

“We keep having to replace fencing damaged by vandals. Children are going down there in the summer and getting drunk. It’s a hazard.

“The parish council have asked if there is anything we can do to fill it in.”

Mr Welford said, with all the building work going on in the region, the site could be used to dispose of inert waste - anything from processed brick, concrete, topsoil mixed with stone, but not general rubbish.

He added: "The plan is to cut it off, so we don't go through everyone's houses. We are going to go across a field.

"We haven't properly planned anything yet. The parish council approached us. At the minute the parish council has pushed us to do something. 

"We have invested a lot of money in it. The initial investment would cover the cost of the fencing and of people having to go down and clean up."

He added: “Its just a headache for us. Now that we have done what the parish council have asked they are saying there are going to be trucks going in and out." 

“They don't even know what we are offering yet. At the minute they are opposing something we haven't agreed or disagreed to do.

"We have a meeting next month. Before we draw up plans we will tell them what we are going to do. They technically don't know what we are doing.

He said: "Our plan is to fill the quarry up as quickly as possible and cause as little disruption as possible."

"The plan to is fill it in so that it just looks like a field - plant some trees and make it look nice then we won't need to put gates or fencing up."

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