Campaign to turn quarry near Rugby into a country park has the backing of local MP

Villagers in Shawell have organised the Nature Now or Never campaign group to ask that the landowners of Shawell Quarry – Tarmac, Beauparc and BMI Redland – turn the site into a country park for local people once their quarrying permits come to an end.

And the campaign has the backing of MP for South Leicestershire, Alberto Costa.

The quarry has been used for sand and gravel supply since 1958. However, campaigners have said that an agreement is in place to restore the land once the quarrying work has finished.

But businesses and landowners of the site have applied to keep using it even after the permit ends, by bringing a composting facility back into use.

The MP has written to the owners of Shawell Quarry asking them to go a step further than just restoring the land and has backed the local campaign by asking the landowners to create a country park on the quarry site.

Mr Costa said: “I am really pleased to be supporting my constituents in Shawell and all involved with the fantastic Nature Now or Never campaign to see a new country park created in the village. Residents in Shawell have lived side by side with the busy quarry for over 60 years, so I think it is high time that the quarry owners went above and beyond to give something back to my constituents and the local community, and the creation of a country park is a brilliant way of doing this”.

Mr Costa added: “Given that there is an existing requirement for the land at Shawell Quarry to be restored on completion of the present permits, I do not think it is a huge ask for the landowners to go a step further and create a country park in its place. A lovely outdoor space for my constituents to enjoy is very much needed in this part of South Leicestershire, so I do hope the landowners consider this very reasonable request from the Nature Now or Never campaign”.