Campaigners against controversial plans for a quarry on the site of the former Hatfield Aerodrome say they now want to focus on getting the best outcome for residents.

Groups still have some hope that the county council’s refusal of the application could be upheld by the Planning Inquiry, scheduled to begin on November 19.

However, they do not expect to fight against the proposals at the inquiry themselves, amid fears that they could end up liable for costs that could reach £1m.

'Realistically’ they say they are now managing the situation by making sure their views are included in the decision that is made.

Campaigners made the remarks following a meeting of the county council’s development control committee on Tuesday (September 25).

At that meeting councillors agreed the county council should withdraw its ‘reasons for refusal’ from the scheduled Inquiry.

The ‘matter’ is now expected to be determined by the Planning Inspector based on ‘statements of common ground’.

In the early stages of the meeting campaigners had outlined their concerns relating to the application, to the impact on the bromate plume and to the process – including the role played by council officers.

Chair of the Ellenbrook Area Residents’ Association Sue Meehan told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We are just resigned to this now.

“But we have tried to make sure we are included going forward.

“Hopefully this will ensure they are obliged to make sure that we can get the best deal for the community and the best conditions.”

Addressing the committee before the decision had been taken, Sue said it was “very demoralising” that the council had chosen not to actively participate in defending the eight reasons on which it had refused the application during the appeal process.

She warned councillors not to underestimate the importance of Ellenbrook Fields to the local community – pointing to the “phenomenal” 1,019 who had objected to the proposal.

After suggesting county council officers had “constantly ignored” them, she urged them to now work with them to get the best outcome for residents.

“Residents are extremely concerned about the impact of the quarry on our daily lives, on the bromate risk to our water supply, the flooding risk, noise, air quality, traffic and on our health and wellbeing,” she said.

“HCC have the opportunity to agree reasonable conditions with Brett that can minimise these concerns from residents.

“We have all spent years investigating and researching the impact of quarrying on Ellenbrook Fields and have gained a huge amount of knowledge and want to use this knowledge to get the best outcomes for residents.”.

The application – submitted by Brett Aggregates – seeks permission to extract eight million tonnes of sand and gravel over a 32-year period and to bring in ‘inert waste’ to re-instate ground levels.

It includes plans for a new access on to the A1057, an aggregate processing plant and other facilities

But unlike the previous application submitted by Brett Aggregates – which was refused by the county council and unsuccessfully challenged at appeal – it does not include a ‘concrete batching plant’.

It does however include plans for a phased approach – meaning areas of the site would be accessible to ramblers, dog walkers and others throughout the 32 year period.

In refusing the application earlier this year the council’s development control committee pointed to eight reasons.

These reasons included the impact on the Green Belt and on residential amenity, as well as well as biodiversity, public access, the highway and groundwater.

But on Tuesday committee chair Cllr Terry Hone pointed to legal and planning advice that had suggested that these reasons would not ‘stand up’ at a planning inquiry as well as the risk of potential costs that the council could face at the inquiry.

Although estimates of these costs were not made public at the meeting, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that they are between £500k and £1m.