Help! Quarry Plans

Alexl1109

We are at the stage of survey on a property we have had our offer accepted on.

it has now emerged that there are plans for a quarry to be made about 600m away from the property. Neither the agent nor the vendor disclosed this information to us and solicitors had already begun work and survey booked and paid for.

Whilst the quarry is only at planning stage and may not get passed if it did it would cause significant potential disturbance with Lorrie’s driving past the property on a daily basis not to mention other environmental aspects.

The quarry is apparently only going to be active for a period of 7 years but that is a significant time.

Naturally our offer and negotiations did not include any knowledge of this plan and we feel quite let down that they allowed us to get this far without mentioning it!

im really unsure how to proceed and also unsure how such a plan if it did pass would effect the value.

please help if you can advise 

Emmia

I'd suggest that if you're not happy about the idea of potentially living close to a quarry, you shouldn't purchase this house. It's quite a simple decision.

Are the vendors selling because of the potential for a quarry opening nearby?

propertyrental

Either accept that you may be living next to a quarry, and are happy to do so, either at the agreed price or a reduced price, or find another property.

Section62

Alexl1109 said:

...

The quarry is apparently only going to be active for a period of 7 years but that is a significant time.

...

...likely followed by a decade or more of landfill to fill the hole back up.

A relatively short extraction period suggests sand/gravel which wouldn't be too bad in terms of noise/vibration.  But if I had to live near a quarry I'd prefer one which was going to be around a lot longer than me, thus delaying the landfill phase until it no longer had an impact on my home.

Alexl1109

Yes sand and gravel and apparently infil with soil

BarelySentientAI

Alexl1109 said:

Yes sand and gravel and apparently infil with soil

And then shortly after that you'll have a nice country park.

user1977

You know more about the location than we do - is the lorries' route right outside the house? How busy is the road already? And how subject to other changes in traffic volume might it be? 

Difficult to say whether/how it affects the current market value if the whole thing is still subject to planning, and it's going to be a time-limited development. And 600m is probably far enough not to be directly affected by the quarry itself.

FreeBear

Alexl1109 said:

Yes sand and gravel and apparently infil with soil

A big hole in the ground is ripe for being used as a waste disposal site.

Section62

BarelySentientAI said:

Alexl1109 said:

Yes sand and gravel and apparently infil with soil

And then shortly after that you'll have a nice country park.

Or a new housing estate.

Albermarle

Whilst the quarry is only at planning stage and may not get passed

I know an area that has three potential gravel extraction sites. All controversial, especially regarding possible truck routes.
I think two of them at least have been under consideration for over 20 years, and all three are regularly reviewed at various planning meetings where there are always lots of objections and nothing ever seems to move forward.

Obviously nobody knows but it could well be you will have moved in, lived there for 10 years and sold it again, and no quarry will have started. So a bit of a gamble I guess.

molerat

Alexl1109 said:
The quarry is apparently only going to be active for a period of 7 years but that is a significant time.

And 6 years after commencing mining they apply for a 10 year extension .......