RESIDENTS concerned about plans to build on a quarry have formed an action group to fight it.

People living around the Pond Quarry on Lightcliffe Road in Brighouse are worried about a proposed housing development.

Brighouse councillor Colin Stout said he believes the quarry owners want to build 48 houses on the site – after extracting the stone and back filling it with waste road materials.

Concerns were raised at last week’s Lower Valley Area Forum.

So a public meeting will take place tomorrow for residents to discuss the issue.

Clr Stout said: “At the moment the quarry owners want to clear the stone from the site.

“We believe they will then back-fill it with road materials such as tarmac from motorways and then build 48 houses on the site.

“We think this would lead to a massive increase in road movements to and from the quarry.

“We don’t know if they will extract the stone by vibration or explosives.

“People have a lot of questions to ask.”

After the Second World War the government granted licences for mining at quarries to help rebuild damaged buildings. That licence remains in place at Pond Quarry.

Clr Stout added: “The area attracts wildlife, with badgers and foxes, as well as bats roosting on the walls of the quarry.

“Since all the trees were felled the residents have reported an increase in vermin in their back gardens, which is a concern.”

Pond Quarry is owned by Hard York Ltd and plans to build on it were refused in 1993. But in 2007 the site was redesignated from open space to primary housing.

The public meeting will take place at Brighouse Sports Club tomorrow starting at 7pm.