Gareth Davies MS, Member of the Senedd for Vale of Clwyd, has voiced his support for petition P-06-1476 during a Senedd debate today, advocating for a 1000 metre mandatory buffer zone between quarries and residential areas.
The petition, signed by 11,473 concerned residents, calls on the Welsh Government to introduce stricter regulations that would better safeguard public health, reduce environmental disruption, and ensure peace of mind for families living near quarry sites.
During the debate, Mr Davies highlighted the experiences of communities in North Wales and across the country who feel overlooked and under-protected in the face of expanding quarry operations. He raised concerns about the cumulative impact of quarrying on air quality, noise levels, and mental wellbeing, arguing that current regulations no longer reflect the scale or intensity of modern extractive activity.
He pointed to gaps in planning procedures and enforcement, emphasising that residents often feel powerless in consultations and left behind in the face of large-scale industrial projects.
In light of the application by Breedon Southern Ltd to extend Denbigh Quarry, Mr Davies raised the considerable impact these plans would have on both the environment and residents, also highlighting the potential contravention of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, the net zero strategy and the Government's own biodiversity targets to reverse nature loss by 2030.
He urged the Welsh Government to take the petition seriously and consider policy reform that balances economic interests with public and environmental health. He has also scheduled a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy, and Planning, Rebecca Evans MS, to discuss opposition to the plans.
Commenting following the debate, Gareth Davies MS, said:
“Residents in Denbigh are right to be alarmed by the proposed quarry extension, it threatens their health, wellbeing, local environment, and goes against the Welsh Government’s own commitments on climate, biodiversity, and future generations.
“We can’t ignore the growing impact of quarrying on communities across Wales. The planning system is tilted in favour of industrial interests, leaving local people feeling powerless and unprotected.
“A mandatory 1000 metre buffer zone is a fair safeguard for residents and would give communities the protection they deserve and help restore public confidence in how these decisions are made.”