PEOPLE in Whitestone are asking for a Landfill planning application in an area of Great Landscape value to be refused/rejected by Devon County Council (DCC).

They are worried about the impact the importation of 350,000 cubic metres of soil over 10 years would have on their village and surrounding area.

STAWL, (Stop Another Whitestone Landfill), is a steering protest group set up by concerned Parishioners. They question why such large volumes of soil are needed to improve the 2.1 hectare site of a previous botched landfill attempt.

STAWL say there is a big question mark over the current grading or status of the agricultural land on which the soil would be dumped. And query the lack of agricultural justification.

Their view is supported by comments made by Natural England, a consultee to the planning process.

A STAWL representative said: “This is clearly an application for a landfill site masquerading as agricultural improvement. DCC planning has confirmed this by concluding ‘the application constitutes an EIA (disposal of waste development)’.

“The proposed site is in an area of great landscape value (AGLV) a few hundred metres upwind of Whitestone Parish Hall and the children’s play park.

“If approved it will drive a coach and horses through the high-minded sentiments expressed in the Teignbridge District Plan which is supposed to afford a very high level of protection to such areas (AGLV’s).

"In addition, the application fails to properly address key areas such as the impact of extra HGV traffic on the C50, a road with on-going subsidence problems and a history of road traffic accidents.

"It also fails to address air quality issues such as fine dust particulates, a particular concern for asthma sufferers and young children using the play park at Whitestone.

"There is no reference to the impact on the setting of two Grade 2 listed buildings nearby, both of which date back to Saxon times. Above all there was no public consultation. This Landfill Application should be rejected and we are delighted to note that CPRE have reached a similar conclusion. The CPRE has also called for it to be refused.”