Residents in Elmswell, near Bury St Edmunds, campaign against quarry expansion plans submitted by Aggmax Transport Ltd

Hundreds of people have signed a petition against plans to expand a Wetherden quarry, with many raising health fears over dust.

Residents in nearby Elmswell are campaigning against the plans by Aggmax Transport Ltd for Lawn Farm Quarry, which could see operations expand on to land within 500 metres of a housing estate.

Suffolk County Council is considering the firm’s northern expansion plans, which have so far received 49 objections, while a petition against the proposals has gained 442 signatures.

Concerns raised include air quality health risks, danger to wildlife, excessive noise and visual damage to the landscape.

Anna Sweetlove, of Procession Way, Elmswell, is concerned about the health implications of an expansion on her nine-week-old baby.

She said: “We moved into these lovely new houses less than two years ago and to have this happen now is extremely upsetting.

“Where they want to build is literally a stone's throw away from our homes, it’s absolutely ridiculous.

“To have my son growing up right next door to the quarry is a major concern, especially when you start looking into the consequences of breathing in that silica dust. It’s quite scary, really.

“We’re really angry at the quarry and also at the council. We never would have bought this house if we knew this was in the plans.

“The developer even put in a children’s play area on this bit of land right out the front and now it's going to be next to a dangerous quarry. It just doesn’t make sense.”

The petition was launched by Jennifer Tooke-Marchant, who is concerned with the impact the quarry could have on residents and the environment, as the site provides habitat for eight red-listed bird species.

Haughley Parish Council has also objected to the plans.

Crest Nicholson, developer of homes near the proposed expansion, was approached for comment.

Air quality analysts SRL Air Quality told planners there would be no dust impacts if emissions remained the same and measures continued to be implemented.

Aggmax Transport Ltd, which supplies sand and soils to the construction industry, declined to comment until further decisions were made by Suffolk County Council.

Sign the petition by following this link and see the full plans here.

You can make comments until Saturday, February 17.