Plans to Reopen Dean Quarry Advancing

Plans for a quarry in the Lizard, which will aid in the development of Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, are advancing.

Earlier this year, Shire Oak Energy revealed its plans to reopen Dean Quarry near St Keverne, saying that it would extract at least 1.5 million tons of material in the first year.

Following the meeting with St Keverne Parish Council on Thursday, Liz Marsden, of Shire Oak Energy, said: “We are hoping to submit a planning application before Christmas and before we do that, we will have another public exhibition with a summary of all the surveys including the ecological surveys.”

The quarry work is expected to employ up to 40 people, preferably local, as the current plans comprise only portable buildings such as office, restroom and explosives stores with no accommodation on site.

Shire Oak is now waiting for the secretary of state to make the final decision, which is expected to be made around June next year.

The renewable energy project will see a 9.5 kilometre breakwater forming a lagoon of around 11.5 square kilometres. With a total capacity of 320MW, the tidal lagoon will be able to produce electricity for around 155,000 homes.