MORE than 100 residents vented their fury last night at

plans to blast 350,000 tonnes of stone at the gateway to a

village on the edge of Dartmoor.

People living in Buckfastleigh in South Devon say their

homes and gardens will be left covered in dust and their roads

pounded by lorries if plans by Gilpin Demolition go ahead.

The Newton Abbot-based company wants to create a new

recycling plant for household rubble at a Whitecleaves quarry

close to the entrance of the town.

But at an emergency meeting last night, residents claimed

that as well as destroying their quality of life, reducing the

price of their homes and spoiling the character of the town,

dust generated by the development could seriously damage their

health.

It is also claimed that any industrial development at the

site would harm wildlife, including pairs of peregrine falcons

and horseshoe bats. Chairman of the meeting, Peter Thornhill,

addressed a well-behaved but passionate crowd who had crammed

into the town hall debating chamber. Overwhelmingly, the vast

majority of people opposed the scheme, which is the subject of

a planning application due to be heard by Devon County Council

on September 3.

Mr Thornhill likened the planning process to a battle for

the character of the town. "We are here to set up the rules of

engagement," he said.

The meeting was told by one concerned mother that there were

three nurseries within 250 metres of the quarry. "I think

parents will take their children somewhere else," she said.

Resident Tim Drey claimed there would be health threats to

the population caused by the presence of asbestos on the site

and other dust particles.

There was criticism of the town council for not objecting to

the scheme when it came before them.

Resident Richard Townsend called for a full Environmental

Impact Assessment into the possible health ricks before the

plan was considered.

But owner of the five-acre quarry Mary Trueman, said: "I

keep reading this is 'our' quarry. It's not our quarry, it's

mine and it has been in my family for seven generations." She

also said the quarrying would cause no threat to the peregrine

falcons.

Another man, claiming to work for Gilpin, used colourful

language and hand gestures to disagree with the majority. He

left to a round of applause.

The meeting agreed that all objectors should write to the

council stating their views. They also agreed to a list of

working restrictions, including hours of working and lorry use,

that Gilpin should be made to follow.